Zeal and Damnation
by Vorgal78
Summary: Arch Deacon Uthaniel Vamis seeks to become a hero of the Imperium, when fate provides the chance to do so he must fight against enemies both within and without to prove his worth.
1. Chapter 1

**Zeal and Damnation**

**1**

Orixo clambered out of bed, his head thumping. Blood had dried on his lips and chin, blood that sealed a promise, a pact. He knew what had to be done soon, he was ready. The mistress had shared her secrets with him and had shared his bed, she was gone now but her smell lingered, coppery blood scent, cinnamon...cold, aching, death. He loved her and he would serve. He would make her dreams come true, as She had for him.

Nearby She moved silently, lithely, hungrily, She had left him sleeping, dreaming of promises foretold...he mattered little to her, nothing mattered except herself, all else was naught but pieces on a board.

And the board was set, the message sent, the messenger was dead and devoured, his parting gift to the World of Lepidus III a false message, his last thought a futile hope, his last breath a scream.

Delicious soul, the astropath, she would torment him forever, a reminder that her glory was inevitable, her ascension unstoppable, her power to be unimaginable.

Chaos would consume this midden of a planet and her god would reward her for its demise.

* * *

Blinking stars fell gracefully on Lepidus Prime. An endless trail of lights marked dozens of Tau Orcas descending from the orbiting Tau fleet and deploying thousands of the alien warriors in the Manufactorum districts to the West. Arch-Deacon Uthaniel Vamis gripped the haft of his ceremonial staff, raging inside at his inability to prevent the alien onslaught. His shaved head was beaded with droplets of sweat, a testament to the heat of the summer nights on Lepidus III. Long white ceremonial robes, edged in Ivory trim clung to his massively muscled body, damp with perspiration.

Cardinal Wenden stood beside Vamis , leaning heavily on the ornately carved ferrocrete railing of the balcony where the pair stood. Vamis dwarfed his superior; a withered and slow moving prune of a man wearing the vestments of Lepidus III's commanding ecclesiastical representative.

"One hundred and fifteen years." stated the Cardinal bitterly.

Vamis turned to him with a scowl, without asking the obvious question.

"One hundred and fifteen years boy, that's how long I have lived on this world, how long I have held this office. Not once...not once have aliens broken our orbital defences until now." Wenden lamented, his lips quivering pathetically.

Vamis turned back to the destructive display, his scowl widening at his superior's apparent show of distress, at the Cardinal's obvious inability to take command of the situation.

"Then why, your Grace, are they able to smite our defences so?" snarled Vamis, his rage taking hold. "Why do they now stand at our threshold, waiting for us to capitulate to false promises of peace, of Greater Good, the ashes of slavery dressed up as the summer fruits of prosperity?"

"You young fool." growled Wenden, rounding on Vamis with his eyes flashing dangerously. "Your fire and brimstone speeches serve no purpose now. We have been abandoned by our guardians. The Ultramarines have somehow been led away by the Tau forward fleet, our PDF was sleeping, the sensor stations were compromised by traitors and so now we have been left like a babe in the fields, to be devoured by grass jackals." he cleared his throat. "This entire planet will effectively be under the aliens control already, this city is the only point of resistance."

The Cardinal's already wrinkled visage scrunched further, his small black eyes glinting from under his wild snowy eyebrows. He peered into the smoky haze that drifted over the square and bit back a curse.

"See that boy? their assassins are already here to put our heads on spikes."

Vamis tried to see what the old man had noticed but could not make out any shapes in the gloom. A hiss of propellant gas was the only warning he received as an indistinct figure leapt the three stories from the square below and landed beside him on the balcony, knocking chunks of masonry from the railing. The light shifted around the space where the assassin had landed, cloaked in a technological mirage. Faster than a tomb viper Cardinal Wenden thrust out with his hand, the flesh of his palm splitting like a ripe blood plum as a long hidden implant weapon fired a sizzling bolt of energy into the apparition. Uthaniel stumbled away in shock as the killer's cloaking field sputtered out and the Tau was revealed in all its heretical glory, its tri-barrelled burst cannon cycled up to fire, to end them. Wenden lunged forward with brutal speed, his short, wiry frame suddenly charged with energy. He drove his still crackling fist into the chest of the Tau, the air filled with the stench of burning synth-skin as the Cardinal's false flesh burned away to reveal the metal workings of his bionic arm. Driving his steel fingers through the armour plating he gouged at the stealth suit wearer's fleshy chest. The Tau writhed in pain as the arcing electricity destroyed his internal organs, spitting sparks like a hive-slum cat.

"Die abomination!" hissed the Cardinal as the Tau assassin fell backwards in death, toppling over the balcony and onto the grey stone below, landing heavily on its back and lying still as blood seeped through its shattered armour.

It was over in less than ten seconds. Brutal destruction is a short lived thing.

Vamis looked on in shock, never had he seen his superior in wrath, never had he guessed at the destructive power hidden so well in an otherwise pathetic frame.

"The Emperor protects boy." spat Cardinal Wenden, flicking his still sparking bionic hand free of the seared gore and frying blood of the Tau warrior and then straightening his robes as he turned to Uthaniel. "I earned my position here you useless excuse for an altar boy, one hundred and fifteen years ago on the front line against the ork hordes of Nazdreg. Do not think that I know not the ways of battle, nor that I do not notice the disrespect you feel for your...weak superior."

His scorn unmasked, Uthaniel blushed in shame. He managed to force out a spluttered apology.

"I am sorry your grace, I shall do what I can to seek your forgiveness in the eyes of the Emperor."

Cardinal Wenden smiled nastily and cracked his vulture like neck with a flick of his chin. "By the Emperor, I will see that you do Arch-Deacon Uthaniel Vamis. I will see that you do."

The old buzzard turned back and gestured at the city with his still smoking cybernetichand. "But first let us see what we can do about this debacle. It is time for your burning silver tongue to work its magic on the masses. If we are to hold this city long enough for help to arrive from the Imperium, it will be through the faith of our people and their righteous anger."

Uthaniel nodded dumbly, then murmured a hurried. "Yes, your Grace." his rugged face blushed instantly, and he truly felt like an obsequious altar boy once again. Vamis took a last look at the descending Tau drop ships and followed after the Cardinal, today's lesson in deference complete.

The audience hall of the Adeptus Ministorum Cathedral was packed with the upper echelons of the city's populace. They clamoured for attention from behind the wall of Adeptus Arbites brandishing power mauls and suppression shields. Some of the well to do shouted angrily, others moaned in displeasure at the loss of profits the invasion would cause, one bellowed like a wounded grox about missing a long planned game of yulf with a visiting rogue trader. Around each of the spoilt, mewling nobles were gaggles of hired muscle, shoving each other with barely restrained violence, itching for a chance to kill something, a chance that the quiet life of Lepidus III rarely offered.

A squad of five Sister Soritas marched into the room and took positions in front of the pulpit, heralding the approach of Cardinal Wenden. The sister's bolters were loose in their hands, ready to fire upon any who dared to threaten his Grace, regardless of nobility of wealth.

An antechamber door opened and slowly, painfully, the Cardinal hobbled to the altar with exaggerated drama, looking two hundred years older and hiding the physical power that Vamis had witnessed a short time before.

The cardinal had changed his robe and made sure his recently revealed bionic arm was hidden by cloth and supple suede gloves. As he walked he leaned heavily on "Purity", the great flange headed power maul that served as his official rod of office. He raised a hand above his head for silence and the assembled throng capitulated, moving back from the vigilant line of black armoured Arbites.

The Cardinal's voice was amplified and distorted by the vox unit clasped to his throat, his mouth hidden by the device, but the power of the words could not be denied.

"Loyal subjects of the God Emperor of Mankind, a great calamity has befallen us." confessed the Cardinal, his voice thick with emotion. "Our blessed planet has come under attack from the loathsome xenos which call themselves Tau."

Cries of anger rose from the mob; several shook their fists angrily and cursed the Tau passionately.

The Cardinal stumbled at the pulpit, drawing gasps of shock from the captivated audience but he caught himself and struggled to stand tall.

"Although their cowardly deception has left us without the protection of the Ultramarines we should not lose hope my children." He paused then couched his great mace and made the sign of the Aquilla, stood tall and straight and shouted proudly.

"The Emperor protects!"

The crowd roared in agreement, surging forward against the wall of suppression shields in rapturous delight. The arbites shoved back with the shields but did not strike with their batons.

"Calmly my flock." commanded the Cardinal, "Do not waste your efforts, your righteous wrath, within these hallowed walls, nay, take up arms, call forth your servants, your bondsmen. Make war upon the filthy aliens that desecrate this planet with their very presence!"

The crowd roared in agreement again.

"Go now and be as the fist of the Emperor himself! Smite those who stand against you. Suffer not the xenos to live, eradicate their presence so that we may live, once again, with the blessing of the Holy God Emperor! The Imperial way!"

The nobility assembled in the room went rabid with fervour at Cardinal Wenden's speech, they pushed back out towards the doors, eager to assemble their guards and indentured servants and slaughter the filthy aliens.

Still standing on the dais Cardinal Wenden looked over towards Arch-Deacon Vamis and smiled wryly. He stepped down and made his way back to the antechamber, Vamis falling in step behind him.

"Good effort Vamis, you might be an insufferable prig at times but you can certainly turn a trick with that reptilian tongue of yours." stated the Cardinal, the closest thing to a compliment he had ever given to Uthaniel.

"Thank you, your grace." replied Uthaniel with forced humility as he disengaged the vox transmitter at his own throat and handed it to a Cathedral orderly, sick to death of providing the fuel with which the Cardinal lit the righteous anger of the populace. The old man had all the oratory ability of a pregnant ruminant but his superior position meant that he had the right to address the people in times of crisis. Uthaniel on the other hand, was regarded by most of the ruling class as nothing more than a data-pusher, an accountant who tallied the tithes and checked inventory on the Cardinal's behalf, his talents at turning words into weapons was a well kept secret and one which he wished was let out.

"We need to see to the defences ourselves now Arch-Deacon." said Wenden imperiously. "Meet me in the War room in forty minutes, and summon the Cannoness and the Captain of the city's defence forces. Get that freak of an astropath down there too, may as well send for help."

The Cardinal continued to mutter directives as he shuffled down the hall, Vamis' fingers tapped the instructions on his data-slate with perfection but his mind was filled with frustration at his lack of true power. His holy fury would be wasted organising details while glory would be captured by the bakers and factory workers of the planet. This was no reward for a true servant of the God Emperor, this was no justice. The Cardinal had stopped speaking and was looking at Uthaniel with growing impatience.

"Don't just stand there you imbecile, get on with it!" shrieked Wenden, his spittle lashing the Arch Deacon's face.

Uthaniel Vamis felt his jaw drop involuntarily in shock; he bowed his head, turned around and hurried back the way he had come, getting away from the tyrannical little Cardinal as quickly as possible.

* * *

Cannoness Leanne De Sade was already in the War room with PDF Commander Weets when the Cardinal arrived. That sycophantic cretin Vamis had summoned her but had not arrived himself. 'Typical data-punching bureaucrat.' she thought as her annoyance mounted.

The Cardinal was followed by a plain faced orderly in white robes waited behind him silently, her eyes downcast and he was flanked by two sisters in the colours of The order of the Righteous Rose, scarlet and black.. De Sade herself was also of the order but her ornately detailed armour had the colour scheme reversed and a thick ermine lined cloak was draped around her shoulders. A flock of quiet functionaries hovered in the alcoves, waiting to receive the orders of the Cardinal and Cannoness.

Leanne bowed deferentially to the cranky old man; he nodded in return and waved her closer to him to study the holographic city map together.

"No point in waiting for the Arch-Deacon, he's probably powdering his nose." quipped the nasty old lecher as he ogled her, Leanne agreed with Wenden's appraisal of the Arch Deacon but ignored his unsubtle appraisal of her lithe body and concentrated on the map instead.

The Cardinal pointed at the holographic projection with gloved hand.

"The xenos have established a landing site, here, in the loading docks of the manufactory district. A clever decision as it allows them to organise defences quickly using our own heavy machinery." Cardinal Wenden cleared his throat, paused to think briefly and then continued. "We can mount a counter attack through the effluent tunnels that run through the area. It is possible if we strike fast enough, that we can destroy their command structure here on the ground and allow us time to annihilate the forward elements of their forces that are advancing through the city. This should force them back to their initial landing site in the civilian spaceport. "

Cannoness De Sade interjected. "My sisters have reported that one of the Tau leaders, an Ethereal I believe they are called, has been seen directing the efforts at the forward landing zone. Past experiences have shown us that the eradication of such an individual will likely have a catastrophic effect on the morale of the xenos forces."

Cardinal Wenden stroked his knobbly little chin thoughtfully. "It seems too good to be true. We must proceed cautiously though, as the Tau are renowned as being despicably cunning, it could be a cowardly trap."

"The old man is actually enjoying this." thought Leanne, but her grim expression remained unchanged.

The Lepidus III defence force commander had been standing silent until now. He was recently arrived at his post and the fiery old Cardinal intimidated him terribly, sensing a chance to gain some favour he spoke up, removing his peaked grey cap from his head as he did.

"I am happy to volunteer the first and second brigades for this duty your Grace, I..."

"Did I ask you to speak Commander Wiche? Who is in charge here?" barked Wenden.

"It's Weets, your grace." Stammered the Commander, "I only thought to..."

Again Wenden interjected viciously. "You might have the pretty badge on your uniform Commander whatever your damned name is, not that I care, but this city is under the control of the Ecclesiarch and I am his representative. Your thinking has no bearing on what happens here."

Weets wiped his black gloved hand across his sweat soaked bow and gulped audibly. His mouth made a move to speak but the Cardinal's widening eyes forced it shut and he stepped back from the table.

The Cardinal sneered at him, his contempt boring holes through the pressed grey jacket of the Commanders uniform.

"Your Grace, the PDF is the city's strongest military force with five hundred armed troopers, chimeras and three leman russ battle tanks. I will have your respect as befits my rank." stammered Weets, his anger making him brave.

"You are a complete moron Commander and your rabble of fat boys and old men are hardly what can be called a military force. The Cannoness' twenty sisters are more effective than you or yours could ever be. You will guard the western walls, where you might be of use." Wenden commanded. "If you refuse I will have you burned as a rebel and heretic."

Cannoness De Sade wanted to sigh at the theatrics but instead she touched the com-bead in her ear as she received a message from a soritas scout and she cleared her throat to get the Cardinal's attention. "Your grace, I am afraid we must prepare for battle, it appears that the Tau have orchestrated a strike against these grounds. My sisters are holding them for now but are being sorely pressed. I request that we sally forth and deal the miserable aliens a stiff blow."

"Damnable scum!" roared the Cardinal, "Very well, if the Tau wish to taste the Emperor's vengeance so soon, taste it they shall. We muster in the great hall in fifteen minutes. All able bodied faithful will collect arms and meet there. Where in the Imperium is that Astropath?"

The functionaries looked around sheepishly but said nothing.

He turned back to Commander Weets who was flushed red in impotent fury. The Cardinal pointed a metal finger on his bionic hand menacingly.

"Except you fool, play boy soldiers where I told you to."

Orders were passed on by the scriveners and aides who waited around the hall the Cardinal stormed towards the main doors and flung them open violently to knock Vamis sprawling as he arrived on the other side, spilling the refreshments the Cardinal had ordered. The Cardinal glared at him but did not pause, leaving him shocked on the floor. Cannoness De Sade looked down at Uthaniel and offered him a gauntleted hand. "Your efforts thus far are lacking Arch-Deacon, I hope for your sake that your spine finds itself properly aligned in short order for we may be going to meet our judgement."

Vamis felt shame burn across his ruggedly handsome face; such a public belittling was fit for a scrivener or chapel steward but to be chastised when holding the rank of Arch-Deacon was outrageous. Still, in the two years that Uthaniel had held his post there was very little that he could be proud of, despite the countless hours of training, drilling and imagining, Uthaniel Vamis had never fired a shot in anger, never swung a weapon in battle. Many in the Imperium would think that was a blessing, a sign of fortune and peace unheard of. For Uthaniel Vamis, forty-third son of a Terran born noble, it was a curse that had haunted every year, every tedious day, in his thirty eight years of life.

* * *

The charcoal black Marauder flew low over the smouldering defence towers and ruined barrack domes that had been gutted by Tau orbital bombardment only hours ago. The flyers only ornamentation was a large stylized iron "I" on its nose plate. The passengers crammed into the modified hold were likewise clad entirely in charcoal black. Fatigues, carapace combat armour and full face tactical helmets covered the twelve men inside the passenger section from head to toe. The soldiers were armed to the teeth; each carried a compact las carbine, a side arm, a bandolier of shock grenades and an assortment of knives and other combat blades. One of the men stood out for the noticeable Iron "I", in the same style as the Marauder's on his chest and the oversized gauntlet on his right arm. A thick ribbed cable connected the powerfist to a gently humming generator on his back.

A voice crackled over the onboard intercom.

"My lord, we are approaching the landing site you requested. It is currently clear of xenos forces but a large armed mob of locals is amassing in the area. Setting down there will result in fatalities. Should we continue?"

The man with the powerfist gave a haughty "Harrumph!" and then answered; his voice imperious, nasal and grating.

"Affirmative. The local citizenry do not have authorisation to be gathering in that area. Therefore they are disobeying Imperial law. Logic dictates that they must be criminal elements. Criminals shall be shown no mercy. Eliminate them so we may be assured a safe landing."

"Yes, my lord." came the calm unemotional reply from the cockpit.

A rocket pod slung under the aircraft's nose spat out half a dozen projectiles that cork-screwed through the drifting smoke and hot summer night air and exploded among the unsuspecting citizenry, sending shattered limbs and bloodied torsos spinning in gory arcs across the parade ground. The Bomber oozed in closer and opened fire with its wing mounted cannons, obliterating the wounded that lay screaming on the ground and sending the few lucky survivors to run for cover, frantic in the strobe lit darkness.

The Marauder landed with the grace of a vulture claiming a grox carcass, it landing gears pulping the remains of the militia inspired by the Cardinal and Arch Deacon less than an hour before. The side ramp opened and the black clad troops of Lord Inquisitor Benjamin De Sade marched forth in all their brutal glory, followed by their master.

Survivors of the landing peeked out from behind cover at the grim cohort that stood to attention in the shadow of the bomber and awaited the Lord Inquisitor's pleasure. A cargo bay hatch hissed open and a trio of oversized combat servitors festooned with bionics and implanted heavy weapons lurched out to take their places next to the silent Inquisitorial guardsmen. The flashing red and blue landing lights of the Marauder splashed the body guards and cast lurid flickering shadows that only added to the dread of the few shaken onlookers.

The inquisitor lifted his helmet visor to address his soldiers, pacing up and down the parade line with black narrow eyes searching for doubt, for weakness, in the faces of those sworn to protect him. Explosions boomed in the night and the lights from the Tau dropships still rose and fell as they ferried troops.

"My loyal soldiers, guardsmen of the Inquisition." began Benjamin DeSade with regal verbosity, "We have arrived on this planet at a time when the Imperium is at a cross roads. These Tau have encroached on the sanctity of a holy world, have attacked a place that is a crucible for pious worship and yet there are none here to defend against them."

The guardsmen stood silently, bolt upright at attention.

"Yet, here we are, a few against a veritable tide of xenos filth and we may find that it us and our great deeds that swing the tide of villainy away and carry the day for the Imperium of Man and the Holy God Emperor." declared DeSade as he punched the humming powerfist into the air. The guardsmen continued standing silently, but managed to draw themselves taller, pride sneaking into their posture.

"It will not be simply though force of arms that the Imperium will triumph over this heinous foe, but through strategy, finesse and tactical genius!" He grinned lopsidedly at his own dramatics, and then tittered girlishly.

One of the guardsmen twitched, almost unnoticeably, but not unnoticed.

DeSade stormed over to the man, his noble features colouring in anger.

"Do you doubt me you worm?" he shrieked, "DO YOU DOUBT ME?"

The guardsman had no time to reply as DeSade smashed him to the ground with his powerfist, the deadly gauntlet blossoming with a corona of energy and a crackling boom as it caved in the guardsman's chest.

"No one doubts me!" hissed DeSade, his black eyes wide in fury. "I am a Lord Inquisitor and I act in the God Emperor's name, I am not to be questioned, my commands are not to be doubted, I will be obeyed on pain of death." He stomped the dead guardsman's face with a polished black leather boot, once, twice, three times. Once more for good measure, then he straightened and turned back the still silent line of guardsmen. A malignant sneer of perfect white teeth gleamed in between his thin lips and jet black goatee.

"Now that we have removed any doubts, let us go and find my bitch of a sister."

* * *

Novice Milissa rushed into the armoury where Leanne was preparing for battle and gushed breathlessly "A small craft bearing the mark of the inquisition has landed in the cathedral's outer parade grounds and has fired on the frateris militia forces that were mustering to attack the Tau Cannoness."

Leanne frowned. The inquisition arriving here would undoubtedly mean that there was more to the fight than a simple Tau expansion phase, in addition the fact that they had fired upon loyal citizens without apparent provocation meant that they were either in a great hurry or were being commanded by a heartless maniac. Leanne closed her eyes and sighed. She already knew that the likelihood of the inquisition being in a rush to make any move was low, logically that would mean that the Inquisitor was indeed a maniac and she was almost sure that she would find her estranged brother to be the maniac in question. It had been thirty five years since they had last seen one another, last fought together, but it had not ended well. Benjamin was brilliant, insightful and devoted to humanity but he was also callous, paranoid and wrathful; happy to use hundreds, thousands, or even millions of lives as the currency to fight against the enemies of mankind. Benjamin would not have hesitated to fire on civilians if he thought he had the right, and Benjamin DeSade always thought he was in the right. His elder sister did not share that opinion.

"God Emperor help us all if it is him." murmured Leanne to herself as she waved the Novice out of the room and tapped her com-bead to issue orders.

"Communications? Prepare a welcome party for the Inquisitor and his body guards. Do not fire upon them under any circumstances. Inform the Cardinal's forces of the Inquisitors arrival and pass on my wishes that he be escorted to meet with me and his Grace as soon as possible." Leanne ordered.

"Yes, Cannoness, it will be done." replied the communications tower operative crisply.

Cannoness Leanne DeSade returned to her battle preparations and tried to imagine what would bring her brother here.

**2**

Uthaniel was shaking with anticipation of the battle to come, this battle, this time, was Archdeacon Uthaniel Vamis' time to shine like a beacon of pure wrathful light. He hefted the brutal Eviscerator he had appropriated from the armoury and ran his armoured fingers across it cruelly hooked chain teeth. Tiny inscribed catechisms and prayers covered every polished metal surface of those savagely sharp blades, promising to bring the Holy Emperor's wrath upon his enemies. Vamis checked that the promethium tank was filled and the flame igniter sparked then made an experimental swing with the oversized chainsaw weapon. By the Emperor it was heavy, a man smaller than Arch Deacon Uthaniel Vamis might not even be able to lift it. But as faith was his guide and salvation his reward Uthaniel knew that he would not succumb to fatigue or weakness while he smote the Tau with this blessed weapon.

Around him the other members of the church were preparing for battle. Confessor Arok was loading the combat shotgun he had chosen for this coming test of faith. Brother Zenthis still carried his faithful shock maul and a snub nosed pistol. From a curtained off ante-chamber came the curses and threats of Cardinal Wenden as he apparently struggled with getting into his armour. Vamis had already donned his blood red set of carapace armour but had not worn the helmet that went with it, choosing instead to wear a great peaked hood in the style of the Redemptionist Crusade. He knew that the faithful would see him as a beacon of righteous vengeance and flock to him, the beastly little Cardinal would have to admit his courage and leadership after their inevitable victory. Uthaniel caught sight of himself in a mirror, by the Emperor he looked a fine sight. Surely nothing could strike a better representation of the power of humanity, the vigour of faith in the Emperor.

With another muttered curse Cardinal Wenden tore aside the curtain and stomped into the main preparation chamber like a drunken juggernaut. His jet and silver artificer armour gleamed like a harvest night moon. One ornate gauntlet clutched Purity, the other a lovingly wrought melta-gun inscribed with line upon line of tiny prayers to The Emperor. The backpack power-plant for the armour resembled an open silver chased cage topped by a banner pole resplendent with the Imperial Aquilla. The suit added a full foot to the Cardinal's height and made him seem four times as mighty as Uthaniel. If not for the weasel like face between the oversized shoulder plates the Cardinal could be mistaken for one of the Adeptus Astartes.

Arch-Deacon Uthaniel Vamis felt his heart sink in his chest as the Cardinal sneered at him in contempt.

"An eviscerator eh boy? I guess that it suits, a brutal artless weapon for an artless brute of a man."

Vamis said nothing and turned away, his gaze lowered

Cardinal Wenden called after him. "I will see you in battle Arch-Deacon, at the front where the fighting is thickest no doubt."

The words sparked a tiny fire of hope in Vamis that he might yet have a chance to prove his worth but it was crushed by the mocking chuckle that Wenden followed it with, and the final words before Vamis left the room.

"You can count the coins that fall from the hands of xenos filth Arch-Deacon; it is after all, what you are best at."

* * *

Shas'ui Kal O'thur scanned the fortified Imperial palace with his stealth suit's sensors. The Ethereal has said that this was where the battle for the city, indeed the planet would be won or lost. The humans did not seem to understand the value of strategic retreat. This building, although fortified, was not like those Kal had encountered when fighting against the Imperial Guard, these ones were ornate...almost beautiful. True the gargoyles, minarets and embellishments were garish and overdone but there seemed to be a great devotion to detail here. Kal thought of his own home and the sleek sided domes lit with neon green and blue. Tau cities were elegant, functional, everything served a purpose. Maybe, he reflected, the human cities were a mirror of their own overly complicated and labyrinth thought processes. A mirror of the psychosis and paranoia that seemed to be the embodiment of the human psyche. Ah, why should he waste his time thinking about such things? These humans here in this place were among the worst, hateful fanatics to their yet unseen Emperor. Kai wondered if this Emperor was like an Ethereal, a spiritual leader. Some humans the Shas'ui had met insisted that the Emperor was actually a god and that he had the ability to even guide the humans through the un-reality of the great voids behind the stars.

Shas'ui Kal O'thur knew little of such things; his lot was not to philosophise but to act, for Tau, for the greater good.

Considering how important this place of worship should be there was remarkably little defence. Scans had revealed large numbers of life forms inside the grounds but intelligence stated that for the most part they would be under armed, poorly disciplined and unable to deal with even the lightest of Tau armour. The area had only a few of the fanatical Sisters of Battle that Kal had fought before, something he was glad of and he had been further assured that their efforts would be directed elsewhere. The most important priority was to take control of the cathedral while inflicting as little collateral damage as possible. Naturally he had ensured that a division of Hammerheads was waiting behind these front lines if they were surprised with heavy armour, but most of the heavy support under his command had moved to the Western walls to subjugate the militia. For a planetary assault this invasion was remarkably bloodless so far.

The palace gates were opening. Shas'ui Kal signalled his battalion to stand ready, the lurid red of Lepidus III's dawn set Martyrs Square aglow, beckoning the bloodshed to begin.

* * *

"Insufferable, self-righteous grox of a woman!" growled Benjamin and kicked over the small wooden stool that the Novice sister had brought to the audience chamber. The Novice's mouth dropped open in shock at the tantrum, but she quickly recovered and said to the Inquisitor calmly.

"I am sorry if our furnishings are not of the comfort you are accustomed to my lord, the Cannoness will be here shortly to interview you."

"Interview me?" spluttered the Inquisitor, appalled. "It seems that the universe has turned upon its head this evening. I, a lord Inquisitor am to be interviewed by an introspective scared little lamb, who has clung to the safety of the church since she was a babe while her brother searched the ocean of stars for ways to better our species?"

Novice Milissa's mouth dropped open again at the tirade; the venom in the Inquisitor's words frightened her. What cause did he have to be so viperous before he had even spoken to the Cannoness?

"You may cease the dramatics now Lord Inquisitor." said Cannoness Leanne DeSade as she stepped into the spartanly furnished room through a side chamber door. "You may leave Milissa, the Inquisitor may like to speak privately with me."

Milissa nodded and hurried from the room.

"Well big sister, I see that the cloistered life seems to agree with you, is that some puppy fat I see bulging under your armoured waist?" queried Benjamin with all the pleasantness of a ripper swarm.

Leanne ignored the entirely inaccurate jibe.

"Why are you here Benjamin? We are under attack and it is my task to see to the defence of this world against the xenos." She said, already losing her patience.

"That is exactly why I am here dear sister, you see I have certain information that leads me to believe that the Tau attack on Lepidus...what is it Lepidus III? I can never be bothered remembering." He paused to remember what he was saying. "Yes, the Tau attack on you seems to be part of a more insidious plot to divert protection away from the more serious threat of a Chaos incursion." He smiled thinly and let Leanne digest the information.

"Chaos?" questioned Leanne, deeply shocked and becoming angry. "My research indicates that the Tau have never been allied with heretics or daemons. You must show me proof of this heresy."

Benjamin spread his arms wide and cocked his head with a slimy grin. "It appears that I was correct in my assumption that you spend your time navel gazing while information and secrets float by you like jellies in a tide. That being said it is not an inquisitor's prerogative to provide information but to seek it. While I waste my time talking with you here the agents of the Dark Gods have undoubtedly already set about their search for an artefact buried below the very ground on which we stand, or near enough in any case."

He stroked his goatee as if thinking, although his eyes never left his sisters.

"I will require twenty of your best warriors to pursue them through the catacombs below the manufactorium district, to locate this chaos artefact and to eliminate the threat that it poses to the future of the Imperium. You may not contact them until the mission is completed, they will be entirely under my command, and this is not a negotiable request. "

"As a Lord Inquisitor I will supply you with the troops you need brother; however what you have requested tests us sorely. This world has no such artefact or it would be as fortified as Holy Terra itself. I feel that this is one of your spun schemes coming to fruition. I must inform the Cardinal of your presence and what you ask. No doubt he will not be pleased to have troops diverted from their current tasks."

"An unfortunate side effect of the pill taken to cure the greater ill, Cannoness." Benjamin seemed to mock the title as he said it. "As with many of the greatest ills we must be sure to eradicate the infection at the source, not simply treat the symptoms. I have no doubt that these Tau filth have arrived here after being manipulated by some agent of the Great Enemy, they are merely pawns in play. Like any game of regicide they should not become the focus of the longer game...they are...expendable."

Leanne felt her lip curl as she guessed the other pawns that Benjamin was referring to, the sisters he would requisition to root out the Chaos agents. It made her sick knowing that by allowing them to go with her brother she may as well be signing their death warrant. However; her brother carried the seal of the Inquisition and even the Sister Soritas were not above their scrutiny or the tortures that accompanied it. She sighed helplessly.

"Fine, Novice Milissa will see to your needs, I must see to our defences immediately. If the palace stands after the battle brother, perhaps we shall speak again." Leanne scowled as anger threatened to overtake her composure.

Benjamin raised one plucked eyebrow and threw her a lopsided wolfish grin.

"I have no doubt you will survive my dearest sister, fate has a much greater part for you in this little play. Hasten to your troops and enjoy the righteous slaughter."

Fuming with anger, Leanne DeSade was already half-way to the door, her hand shaking as she touched her com-bead and ordered her Sisters to prepare for their journey to the catacombs. Twenty sisters was all that she had under her command besides her personal attendants. Her brother had thrown a chainsword into the engines with his demands. She feared the worst of it all but had little choice but to follow his commands as an inquisitorial agent of Terra.

* * *

The light of the new day heralded the reaping of the misguided human militia. The fire warriors formed two steady lines, the front row kneeling, and poured fire into the screaming psychotic horde of poorly disciplined fanatics. Where they had come from Shas'ui Kal O'thur did not know but it seemed like they erupted into the square from every alley and boiled up from every sewerage vent. Most were armed with the unsophisticated laser pistols that humans seemed to love; others had projectile slug throwers as primitive as those of the Kroot. Most disturbingly almost every one of the screaming barbarians was waving some sort of club, blade, machete or bludgeon.

"How distasteful." murmured Kal.

"Say again Shas'ui, I did not copy" came the reply from Squad leader Oun.

"It is nothing my friend, I was just commenting on the human proclivity to seek out the most brutal option and clasp it gleefully."

"Indeed Shas'ui" replied Oun "Oun out."

The Tau lines continued firing into the seething mob that was surging toward them. Although the initial volleys had cut down dozens of the frantic humans they were becoming more organised. Crude shields and palisades made of vehicle doors and sheet metal had been passed to those at the front and the humans were advancing behind them, firing blindly like whip-stinger shellfish in a sand pool. A fire warrior was hit in the neck by a lucky shot, he fell backwards clutching his throat. A medi-drone immediately buzzed over to him to deliver aid.

Even one Tau life was worth more than this horde of savages, it was time to end this engagement.

"Dispersal grenades." instructed Kal calmly.

A dozen drones that had waited behind the two hundred odd fire warriors bobbed up and over the Tau lines. Compact launchers slung under their white plate like bodies coughed out a hail of small egg shaped grenades. With a crump of explosive force the grenades detonated, concussive force hurling the humans head over heads in all directions. The fire warriors continued firing at the now hopelessly disorganised throng, reaping a heavy toll. Despite Kal's general dislike of bloody violence this was about as close to regulation sedation exercises as possible when dealing with humans. He was glad that the human knights, the grotesque space marines, had been lured away before the main fleet had arrived and that the fanatical Sisters of Battle were not strongly in evidence. It was yet another indicator that the only place for humanity was within the Tau Empire as part of the Greater Good. If the humans could not rely on their own leadership to provide guidance, what chance did they really have?

* * *

Cannoness DeSade and her body guard of Sisters met Cardinal Wenden beside the gates of the Cathedral. The frateris militia had already attacked the Tau lines but were being annihilated by the need to run across open ground into the Tau firing lanes. The Arch Deacon looked frustrated, the veins on his neck throbbed and Leanne could almost hear his pulse over the sound of pulse rifles and the cries of dying faithful. Cardinal Wenden looked on at the battle with squinting eyes.

"See the gap between the two groups of Tau warriors Cannoness?" He asked, calm and collected without any of his usual venom.

"Yes, Cardinal, what do you make of it?" she replied.

"Earlier this evening Vamis and I were attacked by a Tau using stealth technology. I have been reading reports on their tactics and the Tau usually place their commander in a central position. That space is empty but I suspect we should fire there and see what turns up. What do you have available?"

Leanne thought for a moment. "Initial Tau airstrikes severely compromised our ability to launch a vehicular assault but one of the exorcist launchers is still capable of firing, it is not mobile however."

"Get a spotter and fire on that location Cannoness." murmured the Cardinal coolly. "I am sure we shall not be disappointed with the result."

Leanne complied with a nod.

* * *

Kal estimated that this particular battle would only last another few moments before the humans were broken. Many had already taken to hiding behind the piling corpses of their misguided comrades. A few still attempted to charge forward but their momentum had been broken and even now Kal prepared to unleash the Kroot and wipe out the resistance completely. He hailed the Kroot shaper Gek'hen. "Shaper Gek'hen, are your warriors prepared to finish this engagement?" he asked.

The harsh croaking voice of Gek'hen crackled through the com-link. "Yes, Shas'ui, we shall attack on your command."

"Very well Shaper, wait for my..." Shas'ui Kal O'thur looked up and saw the contrails of twelve rockets that stabbed through the sky toward him.

"Squad leader Oun, assume com..."

Shas'ui Kai O'thur was incinerated in the firestorm of a dozen holy warheads.

* * *

Looking down at the fire fight from the relative safety of the Cathedrals security towers Benjamin smiled in amusement at the destruction and pandemonium. The Tau leader had apparently been hiding in plain sight with his stealth suit but had somehow been obliterated by a rocket strike from Emperor knew where. The Tau were now falling back and the maniac frateris militia had surged forward like ravenous dogs, beating the fire warriors to death with clubs and crude blades. Doubling his amusement Benjamin could see the rapidly approaching Kroot bounding through the streets towards the melee. He knew that although the Tau themselves were pathetic melee fighters their gangly allies would butcher the shop keepers and workers of Lepidus III in short order. The devastation of the cities working classes would ruin the economy of Lepidus III for years to come, plunging it into a cycle of riots and famines as the people struggled to make ends meet under the yoke of an uncaring Ecclesia. The deprivation would lead to a series of uprisings and eventually the Ecclesia and the stagnation it promoted would be stripped away. A new dawn of enterprise would occur. The people of Lepidus III would become an icon for the renaissance of human mastery of the galaxy and the Tau, the orks, the rotten hordes of chaos would be swept away in a wave of glorious expansion. Benjamin DeSade closed his eyes and marvelled at his foresight. His grand plan was taking shape and all that remained was to remove the few pieces on the board that could hinder its inevitable conclusion.

The clank of armoured boots on the steel plate floor disturbed his day dreams. That Novice of his sister's had arrived with a carafe of honeyed wine, not the amasec Benjamin had hoped for but something nonetheless. He ran his gaze over the Novice, examined her large fluid blue eyes like a hawk examining a young hare, gauging weakness, tasting fear. Milissa broke eye contact and looked down at the ground, mumbling.

"The wine you requested, mi'lord."

Benjamin laughed mockingly at her discomfort, unable to help himself. "Thank you little one, you may leave it on the counter. What are your duties now?"

Milissa looked up, confused at his meaning. "M'lord?"

"Your duties girl, what has my sister instructed you to do?"

"I...I am to await your pleasure m'lord. Cannoness said that I was to cater to your needs and she would send me further instructions when she was able." Milissa stammered, a dozen fearful thoughts scraping at her mind like rusted nails.

"My every need." teased Benjamin. "And by the Emperor's grace Novice of the Order of the Righteous Rose, what do you think my needs would be?"

Milissa blushed red as she guessed what the Inquisitor Lord alluded to but she remained silent.

"I see that your order has provided some information on the requirements of men of substance..." Benjamin said silkily, he ran his bare fingers across Milissa's delicate porcelain cheek, brushing her earlobe. "Would you care to accompany me to my private quarters?"

Milissa stepped back in shock at the suggestion. Her eyes flashed with anger. "I am sworn to chastity Lord Inquisitor, I must not break my oath to the order. It is an oath in the Emperor's name!" she verily spat the words as her indignation kindled.

Benjamin's backhand sent her spinning to the ground. The blow split open her delicate lips.

"I speak in the name of the Emperor girl, I am his voice and I am his hand. You shall submit to my will or you will be reduced to ashes at the questioning stake!" he roared.

Milissa tried to crawl away from the vengeful inquisitor, blood pouring from her smashed lips and broken nose; already her eye had begun to swell.

"Look at you crawl, like a worm, a maggot; hoping that you can escape me, escape your fate. Nothing escapes from me girl, nothing!" Benjamin spat manically.

The doors to the chamber were flung open and a pair of fully armoured sisters rushed in, pointing bolt guns menacingly at the inquisitor.

"Cease your aggression m'lord or we will be forced to execute you." commanded the sister on the left.

Benjamin sneered derisively. "So it has come to this? The petty lap dogs of my jelly brained sister think they can point weapons at me. Think that they can cow me? Think that their actions will go unpunished?"

As he spoke three looming shadows stirred in the unlit alcoves of the room. Benjamin's grotesque servitors moved forward, monstrous weapons aimed to fire at the pair of sisters.

"Release the Novice and you will be unharmed." said the second sister, her voice betraying her nerves.

"Honestly, who do you think you are?" queried Benjamin as his hand drifted towards his holster. "I am here as the Emperor's representative, as a guest of your Cannoness and yet you deny me something that I require as part of my investigation? Point weapons at me? That ladies...is treason."

"You assaulted a Novice of our order M'lord, regardless of your authority you must cease your aggression and submit to due process." ordered the first sister, her faith in her righteousness fuelling her confidence.

"Due process?" snorted Benjamin, "Do you mean the blathering questions of that decrepit old Cardinal of yours? A withered man in a pointy hat is not what I consider due process." he paused and chuckled softly. "I am process. I am the law." He nodded slightly, but the servitors understood.

Benjamin and his mind wiped minions fired as one, beams of super heated air converged where the sisters stood and for a fraction of a second Benjamin relished the impossible agony on their faces before their bodies, armour and weapons were vaporised with the loud crack of obliterated matter.

The back wash of heat made Benjamin wince, his discomfort was minor however compared to Milissa's who writhed howling on the floor, her robes cooked off and her skin blistering. Yet she lived, such resilience was commendable. It was such resilience that had prompted Benjamin to reward his three most devoted warriors with the opportunity to continue guarding him as servitors after they disobeyed him once. The labotomization process had been a complete success, maybe this little Novice was deserving of another chance.

"Take her with us" said Benjamin to the servitors with a smirk on his face. "It is time for us to leave."

* * *

The comlink to Sister Freya had gone dead. Leanne feared the worst for her, Sister Lexia and also Novice Milissa. She had been attempting to push forward and reinforce the faltering attack when Freya had reported disturbances in the security towers. Benjamin was there and Leanne knew that any threats would provoke him to violence. Still, she could not leave her duty here, the damnable Kroot has counter attacked the militia at the moment of victory and it was only the quick thinking of the Cardinal that had prevented a rout.

The old man himself had led a charge of Adeptus Arbite reserve and to his credit the Arch-Deacon had joined him, entering the fray with vigour Leanne had not expected. Leanne and a trio of Sisters had been separated from the Cardinal and Arch-Deacon during the reckless melee, four others were commanding the Northern flank but it looked like it would crumble. Clerics and sisters lay dead and dying on the blood stained rockcrete square. Truly now Martyrs' Square was earning its name. Leanne lay about with her shrieking chain sword; her Sisters did likewise, hacking left and right. This was no time for sword play. The Kroot were too brutal to duel, too fast to play with. A clearing among the swirling combat opened in front of Leanne and she took the opportunity to capitalize.

"Bolters my Sisters. Clear a path!"

The four sisters immediately clamped their blades to mag-locks on their waists, raised their bolt guns and opened up into the next line of Kroot. The mass reactive bolts burst among the closely packed xenos, blowing them apart and sending arcing gouts of gore sailing through the swirling melee. More Kroot were arriving at the scene and of the thousands of faithful who had begun the attack at dawn only hundreds remained. In the smoke wreathed sky, back lit by the rising sun came a new terror, a trio of Tau air-craft, piranhas, accelerating with noses down. They were heading towards where the Cardinal and Arch-deacon fought desperately against the Kroot leader and a frenzied pack of its warriors. Leanne redoubled her efforts to push forward, the Cardinal represented the earthly strength that faith in the Emperor could bring, and he would not perish, not on her watch.

* * *

The boy was doing well by the Emperor; Cardinal Wenden felt a small flush of pride as he watched Vamis carve a bloody swathe around him with that roaring eviscerator of his.

Wenden felt his heart beating too fast, the powered armour he wore loaned him strength but the ravages of years could only be held back for so long. His strength was flagging, soon he would make a mistake and the Kroot would pounce. Damn they were wily opponents. Wenden bashed off a Kroot's beaky face with the business end of Purity, the power field liquefying the xenos' skull. It took him a moment to recover, the shaper was fighting Vamis but it shouted a command to proclaim the opportunity. Another Kroot stepped in front of the inexperienced Vamis, arms wide and inviting. Wenden started to shout a warning not to fall for the ruse but he was gulping air, damn he was tired. Vamis greedily stepped forward to strike a killing blow, ignoring the Shaper for the briefest of moments. It rolled past and came up to Wenden's left. The Cardinal struggled to bring his mace around but it was too late. Using the momentum of its roll the Shaper hammered it's pick like blade into Wenden's side, it eased through the armour, into his flesh, into his organs. The Shaper twisted the blade inside, snaring intestines, tearing his guts.

Wenden sighed, the sigh of a man who is ready to accept death. Purity fell from his hands.

Uthaniel roared like a wounded ogryn as he wildly lashed out at the xenos, the counter rotating blades sawed through the Kroot in front of him and carried into the next. The Shaper bounded away, clearing two of its fellows with a backward somersault. Vamis lunged forward but took a blow to his unprotected head from the butt of a Kroot rifle, the hooked stock blade scything past his face like a raptors talon. Arch Deacon Uthaniel Vamis took a step back then swung upward mightily ripping the Kroot into bloody halves with a gurgling howl of rage.

Wenden slowly fell to the ground, onto his knees, then forward onto his hands. Blood seeped from the wound on his side, dribbled from his strangely smiling mouth. His eyes were not filled with anger, just peace, just acceptance.

"The Emperor's judgement calls for your crimes xenos!" screamed Vamis. "I will have every one of your ugly beaked heads spiked on the towers of the cathedral!"

Wenden's sight was getting misty, the light was getting dim. So proud of the boy, he was ready now, ready to lead the people. All the hard lessons, the charade of judging the boy as being unfit, it had all been worth it. By the Emperor he had proven himself today. Wenden simply wished he had the opportunity to tell Uthaniel he was proud, but now...the air, his breath was gone. He was on the ground and the battle was sideways. Uthaniel was like the Emperor's wrath embodied. So proud...so very proud.

* * *

The wretched old man was dead. Uthaniel Vamis, son of a Terran noble would now be the representative of the Holy Church of Terra on Lepidus III, he would lead the people in a righteous crusade to annihilate the Tau on this planet and the legend of his deeds would spread throughout the galaxy.

He felt like he had lost an old friend.

Not a tormenting old buzzard, who had prodded, nagged, Taunted and bullied him for the past five years. Not a crack brained, doddering old fool who had occasionally drooled when he talked. Not an angry, spiteful nightmare that had cruelly prevented Uthaniel from being what he could be.

He felt alone.

It made him fearful

It made him angry.

The anger made him strong.

"DIEEEEEEEE!" howled Vamis with animal ferocity, his eyes rolling and spit rolling down his chin in his zealous fury.

Blood flowed from a split on his forehead but around him were piled the corpses of the savage xenos he had slain, he could not believe how easily some were beaten. One had not even attempted a defence against Uthaniel's mighty wrath and had been split from crotch to neck as a reward. Uthaniel had not seen the xenos that struck the fatal blow against the Cardinal, these Kroot all the looked the same, clones unfit for personal identity, animals, savages.

Meat for the Imperium's grinder.

Uthaniel Vamis was a butcher, the Emperor's holy butcher and today he was carving a glorious spread for the Imperium's table.

And then around him there was space, the Kroot had fallen back and were wary, Uthaniel basked in the pure radiance of the mid morning sun as it struck him through drifting smoke. This was the glory he had dreamed of.

The drone of the Tau Piranhas as they took aim with ready burst cannons dragged the blissful smile from his bloody face like Kroot talons dragged down a bulkhead door. He was going to die in a blaze of glory.

The remaining Kroot held back. Some laughed, sounding like crows at a feast of corpses. The skimmers could finish this battle, no need to lose their own to stray shots as the Tau scythed through the human defenders.

The lead Piranha's pilot's head erupted as a bolt shell exploded inside it. Uthaniel saw Cannoness Leanne DeSade standing on the half shattered plinth of a blasted Imperial Aquila statue. Two sisters stood with her and they fired at the other two Piranha pilots but their aim was not as true. One struck a pilot's dash and he was enveloped in a burst of sparks and flame, the other missed by a hair's breadth, the pilot swinging the nose mounted cannon toward the new threat.

The first Piranha sank to the ground, its engines protesting and whining, the second corkscrewed into the Kroot, crushing several to pulp before the skimmer caught fire. The Kroot fled, bounding from the scene with chirrups and squawks of panic. The exhausted militia gave a weary cheer but were too battered to pursue and stood around like grox herded to a slaughter house.

* * *

Her shot had flown true and one of the Tau skimmer pilots was eliminated, her sisters had not been as successful with Lysia hitting the vehicle itself and Nillia missing completely. If they survived this battle Leanne would be forced to pronounce penance on her long time friend for her failure.

The surviving Tau turned his Pirahna toward them looking for vengeance. The burst cannon in its nose cycled and unleashed a torrent of shrieking projectiles. Nillia made eye contact with Leanne, her eyes telling tomes of guilt at her failure and she stepped between the Piranha and Leanne to protect her companions.

Her armour resisted the fusillade for almost two seconds; her faith kept her standing for another three. Nillia's body began to fly apart as she soaked up firepower like a sponge soaks blood. Lysia and Leanne drove behind the plinth for cover as Nillia finally could resist no more. She exploded into fist sized chunks. She had died for the Emperor. She had atoned for her failure.

"We will remember you." whispered Leanne.

The Piranha was still blasting away at the plinth; the rockcrete was splintering and spinning away under the wrath of the Tau pilot. It jinked the skimmer sideways to get a better angle and finish off the threat of the sisters.

Leanne knew the remaining frateris militia were no threat to it with their auto pistols and stub guns, bullets pattered harmlessly off the skimmers bottom and sides.

Then, the Piranha was engulfed in flames as Arch Deacon Uthaniel Vamis triggered the exterminator unit of his eviscerator. The clinging sticky promethium burned brightly as it washed over the hull bottom and crept into vents. The pilot had forgotten about his original prey and now he would pay the price. Klaxxons buzzed on the skimmer as its engines overheated and caught fire. The pilot desperately tried to move the skimmer away but it was too late. The Piranha fell to the ground in a flaming heap, the pilot trying to climb clear of the wreck before he was incinerated but Uthaniel was upon him like a starving beast on carrion. The hungry sawing teeth of the eviscerator bit through armour and gutted the Tau. Flames leapt around the Arch Deacon but he paid them no heed as he took his butcher's due. With a ragged laugh he leapt away from his kill beating down the flames that sought to consume his smouldering vestments.

From behind the plinth Leanne watched him in awe; truly she had misjudged his holy zeal, his ability as a true warrior of the Emperor of man.

"To me, my faithful." called the Arch Deacon, his arms wide, his voice deep and commanding.

The heroic assault by the Arch Deacon galvanised the remaining humans, they cheered wildly as they surged forward around him, their vigour renewed by his deeds. The people crowded around him, some cried in joy, some whispered his name. All were in awe of his awesome might, the Emperor's weapon.

Uthaniel raised his hands for quiet. Only the crackle of burning vehicles and the moans of the dying broke the stillness.

"Today my brothers and sisters, today we have triumphed. Our faith has defeated the foul xenos scum. Our belief has been our shield. You have been the sword of the Imperium of man!"

The mob screamed their adoration; they loved him now, united in a compulsion to serve.

"But we have not triumphed without loss." He said, lowering his voice to calm them. "Today our blessed leader, Cardinal Wenden has fallen." said Vamis sadly.

He raised the eviscerator above his head and the blades roared as he shouted

"He is martyred to our cause!"

The mob went wild, tearing at their own hair and clothes, beating their chests in excitement. Leanne watched from behind them, her emotions a mix of amazement and concern. What had happened to Vamis, was he truly a messiah? Where had this power, this unadulterated charisma come from? How had he been transformed from the mewling lackey to this juggernaut of righteous vengeance?

Her concern must have shown on her face, Lyisa put her hand on Leanne's shoulder.

"Do not worry, Cannoness, the Emperor chooses his warriors as he sees, we are not blessed to understand the reasons why."

Leanne smiled wanly at the older sister's words. Of course Lyisa was right. They had triumphed and it was due to the bravery of this man, raised from behind an administratum desk to a stand atop a pile of the enemies' corpses as a defender of the Imperium.

The sun warmed her face as the people continued to cheer.

**3**

On the other side of the Cathedral complex, Commander Weets was fighting a losing battle. Although his men were better armed and armoured than the frateris militia they were for the most part as battle green and inexperienced. Most had joined the local PDF because it was easier than being a factory worker or Emperor forbid, a farmer. Girls liked men in uniform too; at least that's what Weets had heard. His own success with women was limited to how much of his salary he had to spend.

His troops were positioned behind cover, good cover truth be told. The wrecks of fifteen chimeras that hadn't had the chance to leave their parking zones were good to hide behind. Those damn Tau had sent one of those invisible battle suits in as the tech priest was saying the final prayers for their success.

Weets had never seen someone evaporate under a fusion gun before; he hoped he would never do so again. After the tech priest had died the stealth suiter had hopped from tank to tank, grilling engines and melting tracks, carefree as a field wren. The PDF troopers had been so shocked at the audacious attack they hadn't even bothered to fire at him at first. Then he was gone in a crackle of energy and a shift of light as he engaged the stealth field again and the first of the Tau warriors had turned up across the tarmac.

"Commander, are we going to die?" called a young trooper fresh out of basic whose name Weets had no idea of.

"It looks like it. Yes, it does." Weets called back honestly as his fear spiralled out of control.

Another young recruit who was hunkered down behind a plasteel cargo crate shouted at the rest of the cowardly company. "Where is your faith in the Emperor? These xenos cannot stand against the might of the Imperium! I'll kill all of them by myself!"

He jumped to his feet and sprayed las blasts towards the Tau lines cackling like a mad man. The barrage of pulse rifle fire stopped for a second and Weets dared to look out from behind the battered chimera he was hiding next to.

A skimmer tank had taken up position across the parking zone, maybe forty metres distant. The young trooper was firing at its impenetrable hull with his quickly overheating weapon. A massive square barrelled cannon on the hammerhead was aimed squarely at the insane soldier but it did not fire. The Tau looked on impassive behind their faceless helms, at the suicidal behaviour of the human.

His rifle barrel had melted; the recruit tossed the weapon aside and marched forward, not running, toward the tank. He drew his bayonet and made slashing motions as he shrieked incoherently at the Tau in front of him. The other human troopers had now raised their heads from cover to witness the madness in front of them. The recruit reached the tank and stabbed his blade at the armoured prow, it glanced off ineffectually. He continued to hack at it as he spat out a tirade of curses against the Tau race.

The closest Tau firewarrior to the recruit adjusted the settings on his weapon and fired a single shot at the human. It struck his forehead with a distinct 'thwap!' The boy fell over backwards, unconscious.

"Human soldiers of Lepidus III, the time for conflict is over." Boomed a strangely accented voice from the hammerhead. "Lay down your weapons and you will not be harmed. You have my promise as Shas'vre of this operation."

Silence descended on the PDF as they exchanged nervous glances.

"No need to die here today commander." whispered a young farmer turned trooper to Weets. "We have to tithe anyway, who cares if it is to the Tau or the Imperium?"

Weets saw the sense in that. He had been a military man for the last ten years, before that a shift operator at the grain plant. There was no sense in throwing his life away for a government far removed from here. What was the Imperium going to do? Send the Space Marines to take a planet of farmers and grain silos? Even if they did, the people could say they were waiting for the right time to mount an effective resistance. Weets had less than a hundred and fifty soldiers with him right now, less than two thousand in the entire city defence force. Most had been off duty and were either dead or by the looks of things more likely captured. This fight was over, time to think of number one.

"I'm coming out, I surrender." Weets called and stood up from behind his cover, laying down his las rifle and putting his hands in the air.

Better a live coward than a dead hero.

* * *

Orixo tried not to smile. How could it be so easy? Now he would be rewarded by his mistress , his beautiful mistress, and could live a life of luxury as promised. Of course the contact had said that Weets needed to be killed for the Tau to gain entry into the Cathedral and take control of the city but wasn't this even better? No one had died; even mad Raikon had only been knocked unconscious. If they had been fighting against Arbites they probably would have been beaten to death if they had surrendered. No way, he had made the right choice. The best choice. The only choice. Orixo looked forward to the days to come, big change for good ole' Lepidus III he reckoned, and a change worth having.

* * *

The marauder bomber droned through the skies of Lepidus III on its way to the rendezvous point. Benjamin sat on a comfy flight chair and hummed to himself satisfied with how his plan was progressing. By now the Tau should have taken the palace, the idiotic leader of the PDF should be dead and Benjamin's pawns in position and his oh so perfectly righteous sister should be getting devoured by Kroot or at least fleeing for her life. The noxious old Cardinal was sure to be dead. The poisons his agent had placed in the old bastard's food would have caused a heart attack mid battle at the very least, he was sure the Kroot would have disposed of that evidence as well. As for the moronic Arch Deacon Benjamin had heard about, well he would be easily manipulated and once in power and wearing that silly pompous hat he should prove to be quite the asset.

The door to the medicae bay opened and pained groans issued from the IC capsule as an Inquisitorial trooper stepped forth to report.

"The Novice is stable Mi'lord." he stated simply with a crisp salute. "She should survive the return to The Dread Perceptor."

"The Sisters that my sister allowed us?" queried Benjamin.

"They have been taken to the rendezvous point and are awaiting your arrival."

Benjamin smiled pleasantly at the man, "Excellent work, what news from the Tau?"

"A transmission we received said that they had occupied the Cathedral and that resistance has been quashed." reported the man grimly, "The Tau leader is preparing to address the populace using the Cathedral's own vox equipment as we speak. The message should be beamed planet wide on all frequencies."

"Marvellous." beamed Benjamin, genuinely pleased, "Before you go good man. Has there been any word from the agent?"

The trooper's eyes flashed with fear and he hesitated before saying, "No sir, the agent has not contacted us."

Benjamin frowned. The plan hinged on these final few moves and the agent was required to execute them precisely. Nothing could be amiss surely; Benjamin had complete faith in his little asset. Would She betray him? Surely not, they were long time friends, She had helped him understand the secret ways, She was always there for him.

The paranoia ate away at his mind. Contingency plans, retribution and revenge flooded his thoughts at the fear of betrayal. But no, Benjamin DeSade would not be betrayed; if she did she would suffer. They would all suffer, he would pronounce exterminatus and see them all atomised.

Benjamin DeSade would achieve his aims, no matter the cost.

Leanne felt a hole tear in her heart as she heard the booming vox relay play over the Cathedrals own communication system.

"People of Lepidus III, cease your fighting for your freedom is at hand." said a familiar voice, but one she could not readily place.

"Our enslavery at the hands of the wicked Imperium is at an end." there was a brief pause, a faint rustling of paper or parchment could be heard.

"Too long have we toiled under uncaring masters who think only of war, of fear and who torment the common people daily. Too long have we spent our lives feeding the mouths of robber barons and war mongers on distant worlds while we scrape by with the chaff of our fields."

Leanne felt anger begin to fill the hole in her chest. She looked at the Arch Deacon who stood next to the fallen Cardinal. He looked poleaxed with disbelief.

"People of Lepidus III. We have freedom now, in the arms of Tau, for the Greater Good, and the good of all."

Leanne looked around her at the remaining frateris militia, the priests, and the few Adeptus Arbites who had survived the fighting. She saw anger, despair, fear, disbelief. Nothing she saw told her that these faithful were traitors to the Emperor. What could have happened? How had the Tau gained the Cathedral?

The vox relay spoke once more.

"People of Lepidus III, I am Commander Weets of the Planetary Defence Forces. As presiding military officer and representative of the Imperium, I cede control of this planet to Commander Aun Shi Que, of the Ethereal Caste. Do not fight; we now can have peace and prosperity. I fare you all well."

Priests murmured their disbelief; faithful began to raise their voices, shouting "No" and "Heresy". Leanne looked to Arch Deacon Uthaniel Vamis but the fighter in him was gone, he gulped air like a river fish as he struggled to find words. Leanne took action; she strode over to him and whispered menacingly in his ear.

"Arch Deacon Vamis, you are the ranking representative of the Holy Throne here on this world, if you do not fulfil your duty and serve I will remove you from that position by summary execution at a traitor."

The Arch Deacon looked at her wide eyed, childlike in his inability to understand how completely they had lost the city despite their valour.

"I...I..." he stammered.

Leanne looked into his sapphire blue eyes with her fathomless brown and whispered, gently.

"The Emperor and His people need your voice Uthaniel. Now is your time."

Uthaniel blinked, the confusion that clouded his mind being blown away by a hurricane of rising zeal. He looked at the milling crowd of gob smacked faithful, saw their helplessness, their fear. He knelt slowly and lay down his bloody eviscerator then grasped the shaft of Purity as it lay next to the dead Cardinal. He straightened and held it above his head in both hands.

"People of Lepidus III, faithful of the Imperium of Man, we are betrayed!" bellowed Uthaniel.

Cat calls of "No" and "Death to heretics" sounded out from the crowd, most notably from the remaining priests and confessors.

"It is true, today the sun shines brightly on us, but it may be the darkest day in our history. Today is the day when we fight not for our homes, not for our harvest, today is the day on which we fight for the righteousness of faith and the God Emperor himself!"

The crowd cheered at Uthaniel's words, completely under his spell. He climbed onto the wreck of a still smoking Piranha to continue speaking.

"But we cannot fight as we are, the true warriors of the Imperium do not go blindly into the jaws of the filthy xenos, the abominable heretic. We will marshal our strengths, steel our souls and return for vengeance!" he proclaimed.

"To the catacombs my faithful, among the righteous dead will be find our inspiration, they spent their lives serving the God Emperor and so shall we serve." Vamis roared. "Onward!"

Leanne was shocked, what had led the Arch Deacon to order such a move? True it was probably tactically sound. The maze like catacombs that housed the Ecclesiarchy's dead had existed for millennia underneath Lepidus prime, the limestone crust of the planet was riddled with caves and tunnels and a guerrilla army could probably launch attacks indefinitely from the multitude of vents and service ducts that led into the city proper. She must find the reason for his decision, alarm bells were ringing in her head. Benjamin had wanted her to go into those crypts and caverns to find something, something heretical. Uthaniel and the Cardinal had not been told about it though, the attack had prevented that. Was this just coincidence or was there a hidden player in this game? Leanne's instincts were twitching, there was a tangled web cast all around her and she feared the spider was yet to make its move.

* * *

Things were moving so fast, only a day ago Uthaniel Vamis had been an undervalued, maligned and despised cog in the bureaucratic wheel of the Ecclesia here on Lepidus III. The attack of the foul xenos had changed all that. Now he was able to prove his worth to the Imperium, indeed he was already doing so. The death of the Cardinal was in some ways unfortunate but it presented new opportunities to the Arch Deacon. Once the Tau were cleansed from the planet he would be free to raise a crusade of wrath and vengeance and to eradicate the threat of xenos from the entire system and beyond. His name would be remembered throughout the eons to come. Statues would be erected on planets in his name and shrines would honour him. But now he had to think like a leader, the faithful were outnumbered and had lost their stronghold to treachery. But the greatest of victories were always snatched from the howling jaws of defeat; they would marshal their strength, rebuild the army of faithful and then deal a blow to the Tau invaders that would send them fleeing back to their home world.

Uthaniel strode onwards through the darkness of the old service ducts. The idea to come here had risen unbidden, at the exact moment that he needed clarity. Was it a vision? He had never been down here before yet every step he took was full of confidence that he was doing the right thing. He was filled with the feeling of great satisfaction, almost a feeling of mirth despite the dire situation he and his band of pilgrims were in. Were they pilgrims? Where had that idea come from? Was this indeed some holy pilgrimage that needed to be undertaken in order for true clarity to be reached? Uthaniel had heard the stories of saints, of true illumination coming only after a truly great undertaking or sacrifice. The Emperor must be guiding him, showing Uthaniel the way.

In a brilliant epiphany, Uthaniel finally realised his fate was to be destined for sainthood, to be an icon of humanities purity and resolve to triumph against the terrors of an uncaring universe. To shine with the Emperor's light to challenge...

"We are under attack." someone screamed.

It was true; something had emerged from a broken pipe behind them and was brutally assaulting the frateris militia. Uthaniel had not heard it approach, no one had. In the gloom of emergency lights and glow sticks he saw the long ropes of entrails being thrown about by some grotesque beastial mockery of human kind. There was a time when Uthaniel Vamis would have stood in shock, would have turned to others for salvation but that time was over. This time Uthaniel Vamis would be the shepherd that protected his flock. He pushed through the panicking crowd and roared a challenge to the monstrosity that was devouring the bloody gobbets of flesh that had once been a man.

It turned and Uthaniel looked into a face of heretical evil.

A mutant: pale, degenerate, cannibalistic and a mockery of humanity.

Hunched shoulders and wicked claws, jagged teeth in a nightmarish pockmarked face.

The world slowed down to a crawl. Wrath rose in his head like a howling, divine storm

"Eradicate the mutant." he murmured, his mind clear with righteous purpose, and struck.

He smote it with purity as the Emperor's own fist.

His strike was too brutal to parry, too fast to avoid. The sweeping blow crushed cheek and mashing jaws, shattered teeth and bulbous nose. The energy field reacted to meat and the head of the beast compacted and broke away as blood, inky black and bilious, boiled away.

The vengeance of the shepherd was swift and final.

Silence descended on the tunnel again. His flock stood silent in reverence of his power, his righteousness. Archdeacon looked at their half lit faces and gave his command.

"Onward, to salvation."

The catacombs awaited.

In the darkness of the tunnel behind the Arch Deacon, Cannoness Leanne DeSade frowned in concern.

* * *

She dipped her long, elegant hands into the sacred vessel, crude and chipped from a boulder of black quartz it was lined with cracks, the edges were jagged and sharp like the teeth of daemonic sharks. Rusty black dried blood was caked below the rim like filth under fingernails. The warm blood in the vessel clung to her hands as she removed them and covered her face. The gore soothed her twisted soul, ran down her milky white neck, over the polished black opal stones of her necklace and across her lithe pale skinned naked body to pool on the dank cave floor.

Her work here was too easy.

The minds of men were easily led, the now dead astropath who sent the signal to the Tau, the simple men of the PDF who only needed a gentle push to give in to her desires.

The comlink he had given her was chattering again, she had been ignoring it until now for her work was too important for distractions. Her plaything Inquisitor was a needy creature but not without talents. Benjamin DeSade had saved her from the brink of death, starving and hunted by the Eldar. He and his mindlessly loyal guards had slaughtered the eldar warlock that sought her in their efforts to save a simple seeming girl and she had given herself to him willingly as a reward, he could not have known that the act of passion that followed made him her slave and unknowing pawn for all of eternity.

The minds of men were playthings; this world would soon belong to the Knower of Things.

And she would be its queen.

In the shadows lay the blackened, warped hounds that served as her protectors in this place, they rested while they waited for fleshy victims to near. One hound would be enough to kill most opponents but She had a dozen, she had little to fear in her lair and soon she would have nothing to fear at all.

She heard the faint echoes of movement away in the tunnels, She narrowed her eyes in the darkness and hissed through her teeth. There was to be no disturbances but nothing would stop her this day. She slunk away into the shadows to await her newest victims.

* * *

Sister Amiin waited impatiently in the clearing. Cannoness DeSade had given the entire unit over to the command of the Inquisitor for some important duty and they had followed his directions to this place.

But they stood in the middle of nowhere, the pair of Rhinos that had carried them here idled away in readiness for a quick move. Amiin felt uncomfortable and the peaceful surroundings did nothing to ease her tension. They were so far away from the city that the sounds of battle were unheard, of course that may mean there was no longer a battle.

What were they doing here? This was no special mission, the inquisitor had demanded they relinquish their com beads and so could not communicate with the city at all. They could use the vox in the Rhinos of course but that would be a direct contravention of standing orders.

"Squad one, patrol the perimeter." Ordered Amiin, "I smell treachery afoot and by the Emperor it will not catch us without bolters ready.


	2. Chapter 2

Gek'hen bounded hurriedly through the corridors of the Imperial Cathedral to the Communications tower where Ethereal Aun Shi Que waited to provide fresh orders. The death of the human priest by Gek'hen's own hand surely would prove the death knell for the pitiful resistance. In truth Gek'hen could not believe in the ease with which the Tau forces had taken virtually the entire planet. While he had a warrior's heart he saw the benefit in bloodless conquest, opponents of the Greater Good had little to argue against if they had nothing to complain about. Gek'hen only knew that whatever had diverted the Space Marine protectors away from the planet and had so effectively subdued the local defences was something to be thankful for.

The double doors to the communications tower were guarded by a pair of fire warriors, pulse carbines at the ready. Gek'hen's quills stiffened involuntarily, instincts overriding learned calm. He observed the protocols though and stated his name and purpose.

"Gek'hen, Shaper of the Red talon tribe, here to speak with Ethereal Aun Shi Que, the Greater Good be sought."

"Greetings, Shaper Gek'hen, fortune on your tribe." Said the fire warrior on the left as they both lowered their weapons. "The Ethereal has been expecting you."

The magnetically sealed doors slid open as if on cue and Gek'hen loped into the communications room.

Imperial machinery beeped and flashed around the room as tau technicians manipulated the unsophisticated controls, levers, buttons and old worn dials being pulled and pushed as needed. Gek'hen could not understand how such a primitive empire could hope to stand against the technological might and understanding of Tau, his own people had long ago seen the value of working with them and understood that the only future for the galaxy lay with the principles of Tau Greater Good.

Ethereal Aun Shi Que was speaking to the human renegade who had surrendered to the Tau on the Western walls. The man looked cowardly, he was no real professional soldier and while Gek'hen had little love of the fanatical zealots he had been fighting a short time ago, at least they stood for something. This maggot had no scruples of any kind and sought only to serve his own base needs.

"Not a warrior, but a parasite seeking only his own needs." Thought Gek'hen as he scowled inwardly.

The Ethereal turned to Gek'hen and the Shaper felt an immediate calm wash over him.

"Ahh, Shaper Gek'hen, I am pleased to see you are well. I hear your brood is thriving." Said the Ethereal by way of greeting.

A flush of pride swept over Gek'hen at the praise but he quickly controlled himself before he started to make satisfied clucking noises.

"Thankyou my Ethereal, our well being is only the result of pursuing the Greater Good, it is a pleasure to serve."

The Ethereal placed an elegant blue hand on Gek'hen's wiry shoulder and with a beatific smile said.

"The venerable warrior who you felled in combat was the leader of the humans here and his loss is a great blow to the misguided who resist our efforts to release them from servitude to the Imperium. However, his second in command has led a group of rebels into the catacombs which lead under this very building. It may prove troublesome in the future and so they must be eliminated, for the Greater Good."

"I understand Ethereal, I shall take a clutch from my brood and pursue them, there shall be no survivors." Replied Gek'hen.

Aun Shi Que nodded sadly as he thought of the necessary violence. "They are accompanied by several of the female warriors called "Soritas". While these women live there can be no peace in this place, like a disease they must be eradicated as they are the source of infection."

Gek'hen nodded and bowed deeply before stepping back to take his leave.

"I shall return soon my Ethereal." Gek'hen said, his heart beating faster in anticipation of the hunt.

"Take a team of path-finders with you loyal Gek'hen, the humans need to see that the sum of the Tau is greater than that of its individual peoples."

Aun Shi Que smiled once more at the faithful Shaper before turning his attention back to the still cowering human. Gek'hen turned away and bounded out of the room to gather his brood and begin the hunt.

The catacomb air stank of caked faeces and rotten meat. The remaining militia retched and gagged as Leanne and Vamis pushed them deeper into the gloom. A miasma of putrid gas hung in the air, clogging their eyes and noses, burning and clinging like a wet slimy film to their clothes, skin and weapons.

"Yer Eminence, where are we going? We been walkin fer hours and I dun even know what we doin down ere." Asked a particularly badly educated militiaman whose farm boy accent Vamis found particularly difficult to understand.

"We are going to attack the enemy within our blessed cathedral from right below them, a surprise assault. I do not like the thought of subterfuge but we no longer have the numbers to launch a frontal assault and in any case, we may have the opportunity to decapitate their leadership with one righteous blow." answered Vamis, his confidence returning after dispatching the mutant so easily. He looked around the murk. "We will rest here, I need to pray for guidance from the Holy Emperor before we launch our strike."

The ragged band murmured in agreement and set themselves down gingerly in the filth, squatting amongst the muck and dust. Vamis closed his eyes and thought of what to do. His mind's eye was cloudy, as if filled with cataracts; he saw shadowy figures moving through the gloom, lenses in helmets burning brightly, others with birdlike faces, long gnarled arms carrying rifles. He saw them poised to strike at the refugees, no...not refugees, pilgrims, holy pilgrims. The first bird man struck at the sleeping form of Canoness DeSade.

Uthaniel opened his eyes with a start. A gentle throbbing had started in his head but he knew in his heart that his vision was not simple fears but a warning from a protector. A warning from the Emperor or perhaps a saint, warning of impending doom.

"My flock, we are being stalked." warned Uthaniel with utmost seriousness. The Cannoness looked at him gravely.

"How do you know Arch Deacon? The foul air down here tests the clear headedness of us all." She said gently but with doubt obvious.

"I have received a vision my child." Stated Uthaniel grandly, the kroot and tau are following us as we speak and will strike soon, I say we stand ready for them and give them a taste of their own treachery.

Many in the motley band nodded in agreement. They hid themselves around corners and behind piles of refuse and waited as silently as possible, ready to spring the trap.

Pathfinder Nu 'Shi felt something was wrong. The pervasive gloom and presence of massive microbial life in this area confounded his helms sensors; instead of lifeforms shining brightly the entire area was a riot of colours. He felt sure that if he had no helm at all he would probably be crawling with diseases by now. How the human rebels were able to survive down here he could not fathom.

"Shas' ui, my helm seems to be malfunctioning he breathed over his helm's com link."

"Negative pathfinder, all our helms are the same, there seems to be too much bacterial life here for our detection to function, switch to black lights."

Nu 'Shi did as instructed and the riotous haze of colour was replaced by grey and white images of the surrounding catacombs. Detritus and refuse were piled up in great heaps against the walls. What appeared to be strange signs were drawn in excrement on the walls all around. Although the brief had not spoken of any sentient life forms living down here this was not simply the work of passers-by, great effort had been taken to place the runic drawings in a particular order...what order Nu 'Shi could not tell, the scrawling seemed to blend and move somehow.

"Ambush!" cried another pathfinder.

Lumps of grey filth shifted and humanoid shapes charged down the tunnel towards them, spread out as they were for tracking the pathfinders could not close ranks for a disciplined firing line. The humans were upon them already, the Shas' ui was already overwhelmed and being beaten to the ground. Nu 'Shi fired wildly at the frenzied mob, worried that he would hit his faithful companions. The human rebels showed no such worry as those armed with shotguns and autoguns fired blindly, a crazed fusillade of lead and metal tearing at the walls and floors, blasting friend and enemy alike.

There could be no victory here, time to regroup and reassess the situation. Nu 'Shi turned and ran as fast as his legs could carry him, past the kroot who were following and towards the light of day.

Gek'hen snarled in rage, the pathfinders had been ambushed, the humiliation was unbearable. It was strange though that he had not been able to smell the humans either, even with this putrid miasma swirling around him it was unbelievable the humans had successfully sprung their ambush attack. Now the catacombs were lit with the strobing light of gunfire and the kroot leapt forward into battle but the fleeing pathfinders hindered the charge and the pack met the humans piecemeal instead of as a single crashing wave. The mad human priest who had allowed the human leader to be killed swung around him with abandon, his ungainly weapon arcing and looping like a wrecking ball. Beside him the warrior woman fought silently, her teeth gritted in anger and desperation. The attack was a failure and to stay was to invite destruction. Gek'hen hooted a call of retreat and the kroot disengaged with backwards leaps, leaving the humans flat footed. A single volley of shots kept them at bay as the kroot turned as one and ran, Gek'hen smiled with satisfaction as one of the large bore slugs tore into the stomach of the mad priest as he lunged forward to crush a wounded kroot.

"To oblivion with you human." snarled the shaper as he bounded away in disgrace.

The Arch Deacon was wounded badly, Leanne looked worriedly at the bloody puncture wound in his stomach.

"It is nothing Cannoness." Growled Vamis through clenched teeth. "The Emperor will not see me die this day, I have foreseen it."

Indeed his head swam with visions of the future now. He stood giant like over the enemies of man, smiting them mightily with his great mace, of them falling down and rotting away like flowers wither in the summer heat. He saw all of them fall, orcs, tau, eldar, heretics, all fell beneath his mightly weapon, cowered in the shadow of his magnificence.

Uthaniel raved wildly, frothing at the mouth as he lay on the ground covered in filth. Leanne looked aghast at the wound, already the edges were blackened and the blood stank of sepsis. Had the kroot used some foul poison to ensure a kill? DeSade took a vial of antibac from her combat kit and pumped the drugs into Vamis' neck with an injector cap. She followed it with a heavy dose of Emperor's peace to ease the pain. The Arch Deacons eyes widened for a moment and then he lapsed into slumber his raving subsiding to muttering and his eyes drooping shut.

Leanne's lips tightened in the gloom. She was a fighter, not a leader of men, what would she do with the militia now? Lead them to a safer place or continue with Vamis' plan of attack. Like Vamis had only a while ago, she closed her eyes and prayed for guidance.

"Docking in four minutes sir." The pilot informed Benjamin over the ships intercom

Benjamin did not bother to reply, his minions were mostly beneath his notice. In any case he was too preoccupied thinking of how he would modify his latest recruit, the novice Milissa although few would soon recognise here as ever having been such a promising recruit for the Sisters Soritas.

"Power claw?" he mused to himself. "Maybe another melta weapon, you can never have too many of those can you."

The two servitors that stood in their transport alcoves nearby said nothing. As would happen with Milissa they were mindwiped and had no ability to comment on Benjamin's thoughts. That was part of the reason Benjamin was so fond of the cybernetic guards.

Milissa's former companions would hardly recognise her, copper tubing and synthetic pipes pierced her once fair skin, burns had been cleaned and covered with thick synth-flesh, vat grown and rubbery. Her face was half her own, half a metal mask but Benjamin had made sure that her delicate mouth remained her own. Such pretty lips she had, if she could think she should be thankful that he had saved them although she was far beyond being able to vainly appreciate them anymore.

"I have done you such favours novice." He cooed to her unspeaking form. "I have made it impossible for you to break your sacred vows of chastity now, even though you undoubtedly would still lust after me had you the power. You will see how my kindness, my...generosity, knows no appreciable bounds."

Milissa looked at the Inquisitor blankly, without a command chip she was unable to even move beyond the occasional residual spasm although time and the atrophication of unnecessary nerve endings would fix that too.

"Preparing to dock with Dread Perceptor, all passengers please secure yourselves." Came the regulation order over the intercom. It still rankled DeSade that he had to listen to even a regulation order. He was the only law he need heed. On this occasion it seemed prudent to listen though and he strapped himself into his deluxe lounge seat for the ship to land on the looming form of the Inquisitorial frigate Dread Perceptor.

Communications officer Corin met the Inquisitor in the landing bay, ringing his smooth feminine hands anxiously. Benjamin scowled as he saw the nervous little man waiting for him. No news was good news so why was this worm waiting to tell him something.

"What is it Corin?" snapped Benjamin, at his wits end before they even began what would doubtless be an inane or bothersome conversation.

"Mi'lord, there is news from the planet surface, I tried to contact you enroute back here but there was too much interference from the Tau fleet."

"Spit it out you cretinous swine herder." bawled Benjamin, dousing the communication officer's face with a generous amount of spit.

"We have received word that the remaining leadership of the rebel ecclesiarchy on the planet have fled into the catacombs beneath the surface, a task force sent to eliminate them has been unsuccessful in their task." Corin paused and then added. "Mi'lord, is the planet attempting to secede from the Imperium?"

"Of course they are seceding your ork brained zombie, that is why I was sent to investigate them. If you ask another question though I shall put a round through your misbegotten face." DeSade spewed.

Benjamin felt his cheeks colouring with justifiable rage. "And so are they still looking?" he growled.

Corin gulped and looked around sheepishly. "I...am afraid not mi'lord, they were beaten back with heavy casualties, the Tau leadership has decided to deal with them at a later stage, they..."

"They will do what I damn well tell them or I will incinerate every single last one of the stinking blue skinned shits, I will lay waste to their settlements and pronounce exterminatus on their home planet if they fail me." raged Benjamin to all around him. "I could kill you for your failure Corin, I continually must manage your impotent attempts at achieving our goals, goals that I set on behalf of the Holy Emperor, father of mankind."

Corin paled and shrank away, starting to blubber incoherently in the face of Benjamin's rage.

"But I won't." smiled Benjamin with a snake like smile. "You still have tasks that need doing and I will not sully myself with them or leave it to any of your idiotic underlings."

Corin attempted to compose himself; smoothing his black starched uniform and gulping several times in quick succession.

Benjamin cleared his throat and looked around haughtily at the storm troopers and staff in the hanger bay. "It is time to move our plans forward; I will deal with the miscreant Ecclesiarchy rebels myself. It is time to cleanse the Tau from this Imperial world and return it to the arms of the Imperium. Have the astropath send an anonymous message out for aid. These pathetic aliens will soon eat the might of our greatest warriors."


	3. Chapter 3

Weets had begun to feel more comfortable with his decision to switch sides, it seemed only prudent in the face of unassailable odds after all. Let's face it, the Imperium had never done much for him, the Church did nothing but tell him what to do and Emperor forbid...no, Greater Good, forbid what ridiculous commands that Inquisitor would have dictated had the planet remained in Imperial hands.

To be completely honest the Tau invasion had to be admired, unlike the bloody attrition and horrid waste of lives that took place when the Imperium invaded a planet the Tau annexation of this quiet little backwater had spilt very little blood. In fact it was almost as if the entire planet was caught napping. Thankfully the Ultramarines had been somewhere else and now that the tau were well established Weets felt much safer. The Astartes were notorious for destroying all and sundry when they fought, they had no care for worldly possessions or the regular citizenry of the Imperium, in many ways they were less human than the alien tau, less human than even those avian kroot...well, maybe not that inhuman. Weets did not like listening to their bird like chirping speech; the tau language was much nicer although he didn't yet understand a word. One of the tau had already spoken to him about classes teaching him the language and also lessons in The Greater Good. Imagine that, a conqueror who educates the conquered!

"Marvellous." Smiled Weets, whistling happily to himself.

He looked around the communications tower, several tau technicians...earth caste he thought a warrior had called them, were attaching their own communication devices to the banks of knobs and dials used by the Imperium. There was a trio of fire warriors standing guard although they looked fairly relaxed, well he imagined they would if they had their helms removed, which they did not.

A speaker bank began to chitter as a long range vox signal began to transmit. Weets jerked awake from his comforting reverie and looked at the speaker in horror.

_"Cathedral communications tower, this is Ultramarines strike crusier Redeeming Spear, do you copy, over..."_

The technicians looked at Weets, their heads cocked. Weets stared back at them mouth agape, horrified.

_"Cathedral communications tower, this is Ultramarines strike crusier Redeeming Spear, do you copy, over..."_

"You must answer them human, or they will suspect something is wrong." warned one of the technicians.

Weets continued to stare at the speaker box. He was paralysed with fear.

_"Cathedral communications tower, this is Ultramarines strike crusier Redeeming Spear, do you copy, over...Cathedral communications tower, if you do not respond we will consider you to be hostile, over."_

Weets almost choked on his own tongue trying to speak but he managed to press the send button and speak in a voice like a weakened geriatric.

"Ah, yes Redeeming Spear this is Commander Weets of the Planetary Defense Force, everything's fine down here, just fine...you can...you can go about your business, good day, er, Emperor bless you all."

He released the send button and waited...there was silence. Had he done it, had they taken the bluff? Space Marines were not known for their skills at human relations, maybe they could not tell lies...maybe it would be okay.

"_Catherdral Communications tower, we have received a distress call speaking of complete xenos invasion, please confirm or deny, over." _The voice said, the tinny speaker removed any chance of understanding the emotion or level of belief on the other side.

Weets blundered on, his voice cracking. "Oh by his holiness, there is nothing wrong, nothing wrong at all. I er...I would get the Cardinal but he is having a nap you see, he is rather elderly after all. I was just inspecting the tower here, that's how you got me. No problems here, resume your patrols of the sector. I thank you for your attention, have a nice day."

The silence was deafening. The comlink went dead. There was an expectant silence in the communications room.

Weets looked around and smiled at the stone faced tau technicians and faceless fire warriors.

"I think they bought it, nothing to worry about lads...for...for the Greater Good then."

He felt sick to his stomach.

* * *

"Prepare for planetary assault" barked Captain Reynard, commander of Redeeming Spear. "And send out a general call for aid, if the planet has fallen as I suspect it may need to be cleansed of all heresy, I will not waste my marines in mopping up operations."

The human serfs manning the bridge hurried to comply with his actions. The Ultramarines were hard masters but fair and the humans they commanded understood the honour they were bestowed with by attending to the needs of the legion.

He looked down at his gigantic, over-muscled frame. His cobalt blue robes were suitable for command here on the bridge but he would need to change into his armour soon. How stupid did that PDF commander take him to be. The guilt was oozing though the comlink and two hundred years of service in the Adeptus Astartes meant Captain Reynard could smell the fear of the unrighteous.

He ran a broad scarred hand over his shaven scalp, briefly touching the two honour studs in his forehead. Scans of the planet from long range showed massive activity at the single space port, much more than would be expected even in harvest season. This backwater planet had little military value but was invaluable to the sector as a whole, it produced forty percent of the grain needed to feed the Imperial Guard regiments deployed in the system and although it was technically under the control of the Ecclesiarch it was also under the direct protection of the Ultramarines.

Reynard was inwardly pleased that Fleet Commander Icarus had been hesitant in sending the entire fleet after the suspected xenos fleet on the other side of the system, something had smelt wrong and although there certainly had been half a dozen tau ships which had been promptly obliterated by the Imperial flotilla without even firing a return shot there had clearly been some sort of misdirection at play. Here was the evidence, the smoking bolter that the planet had been taken by underhanded trickery and despicable treachery. Weets, what a maggot! Reynard had never met the human before but by the Emperor he would be crushed in Reynard's fist for this subterfuge.

Reynard stomped to the armoury, two fellow astartes falling in beside him as they prepared for battle.

* * *

The blood had coloured her naked body crimson from head to toe and as the essence of it seeped into her skin she felt the growing power inside her wake. Her teeth felt sharper already and her long lithe limbs tightened with cording muscles. Her pupils elongated, becoming horizontal slits and her fingers lengthened, her nails growing to resemble the talons of some hunting raptor. She cherished the pain of the change but like the last time it would only be temporary unless she offered something greater. That time would come soon, but it could never be soon enough for change.

Through the tunnels of the catacombs she heard the sounds of combat. Her guardian hounds growled in anticipation, their warped, mutated shoulders hunched as they readied themselves to hunt, to run down and tear the throats from her enemies.

But it was not yet time to show her true face, it was still time for the shifting web of lies she had carefully nourished to be spun. She stepped over to a neatly folded pile of garments, gracefully climbing into a black bodyglove which clung to her body tightly, flexible armoured plates protecting her vitals although in her enhanced form she barely needed it. With a final lip of her luxuriant scarlet lips she pulled the assassins mask over her face, the bulbous insect like eye lenses lighting her world green and feeding information to her cortex through dermal spikes that pierced her temples. She strapped on a fine belt of pouches holding the delicate tools of her trade, toxin needles, throwing blades, micro grenades and a bulbous nosed pistol without a trigger which glowed a sickly green from within. Lastly she retrieved her long blade from its place beside the sacred vessel. She gazed lovingly at the shrunken skull worked into the pommel, she always carried her master with her to show him how she had changed since she had murdered him. The pommel grip was a darkened tan, the skin of the warlock who had pursued her half way across the galaxy, to prevent her destiny. Nothing would stand in the way of her destiny. She was many things in this universe, but now, for this part of her woven web, she was the terror of the Imperium, she was Callidus.

* * *

Captain Reynard checked the heads up display inside his helmet. The lenses cast a red tint to his field of vision and the internal oxygen pumps of the terminator armour wheezed and sucked as he breathed. Diagnostics told him the direction and distance of the nine other astartes in terminator armour who would be spearheading this surgical strike with him. At the moment the distance hardly mattered as they all stood within metres of each other in the teleport chamber. Reynard flexed his hands inside the oversized gauntlets, his storm bolter had been blessed and anointed with sacred oils, his power sword was switched off for teleportation but he could almost imagine its hunger for battle. Techmarine Arnaeus undertook a final check of the ten warriors and their arms and armour, carefully making sure that there were no loose plugs or gas leaks. Even though the techmarine stood almost eight feet tall in his heavily embellished artificer armour the terminators stood a full half foot over him and their hunched, over armoured shoulders were almost five feet wide from pauldron to pauldron.

"Brothers, beneath our feet on the planet below waits a cancerous canker of corruption." intoned Reynard, not just to the room but to all on board the Redeeming Spear. Brother marines paused in their preparations for war, serfs stood listening reverentially with their heads bowed in subservience.

"We are the Adeptus Astartes, the chosen of the Emperor of Mankind and we will excise that cancer from the body of the Imperium." He continued, regally, controlled, proudly.

"I Captain Aramis Reynard, will lead our chapter's finest into the very heart of darkness and decapitate the head of this infection, be it xenos or heretical." The captain growled, his ire rising.

Around the ship heads nodded in agreement, muttered oaths were said and signs of the imperial aquilla were made.

"I lead you my brothers in the name of Marneus Calgar, Guilman and the Emperor of Mankind!" He roared and across the ship marines and serfs alike roared in agreement.

"We are the Ultramarines, and we shall know no fear!" He shouted.

"_Teleport lock established Captain. Beaming now." _said Techmarine Arnaeus over the private link.

A crackle of ozone and a blinding flash of light and the ten terminator armoured behemoths disappeared from the room, leaving only outlines of glowing light in their wake.

* * *

Well, nothing had happened so far thought Weets. He had regained some measure of calm since the mind wracking conversation with the space marine strike cruiser. The presence of Ethereal Aun Shi Que seemed to help with that. A gentle bony blue hand laid on Weet's shoulder seemed to have dispelled all the fears he had, he had been quietly questioned by the tau leader and Weets had gladly explained everything he knew omitting no detail at all. He told how the marines were the guardians of this planet but took little interest in it, how the church rarely asked for the astartes to do anything more than sit in high orbit, that in all likelihood the astartes were probably bored out of their psychopathic brains with boredom at how little ever happened on Lepidus III.

A tau warrior in a form fitting body suit had joined them in the communications room, apparently he was one of the crisis suit pilots that Weets had watched bouncing around outside in their mechanised warsuits, spectacular bits of technology they were, festooned with technological gadgets, weaponry and sensors, the Imperial armoury seemed positively antiquated compared to the Tau war stock.

That was something Weets felt positively joyous about, if the Imperium ever did come back then it was highly doubtful old promethium fuelled tanks and solid slug cannons could compete with ion cannons and fusion blasters, multi-warhead smart laser guided rockets and hand held rail guns. Weets looked down at his own side arm and sighed, no wonder the tau had allowed him to keep it, the autopistol was probably about as dangerous to the tau armour as a rock was to a main battle tank.

Outside the slit windows of the communications tower Weets could see the tau forces distributing food to local citizenry who were undergoing identification processes. Other tau warriors were drilling in plain sight, drilling for what the Emperor knew...Weets cursed inwardly, it was The Greater Good he should be using in his prayers and curses, not the Emperor. A stab of guilt panged in Weets' heart but anger flushed it away. The Imperium had given him nothing and asked everything, here he was at thirty eight years old, unmarried, alone and hoping for his forty years service to come so he could retire on a meagre pension in a squalid habflat. Imperium be damned, he would fight to protect the Tau and everything they stood for.


	4. Chapter 4

Benjamin flopped into a plush leather chair in his personal quarters aboard Dread Perceptor and reached over to snatch the crystal goblet of amasec from the polished hardwood side table next to the chair. The room was panelled with rare, fine grained, perfume-wood, a luxury that even the most successful rogue trader would struggle to attain. The inquisition would spare no expense for the needs of its officers however and DeSade smiled with satisfaction at his place in the galaxy.

He had thought of sullying himself with destroying his sister but some small affection for the bitch remained in his heart and while he relished the thought of her death he did not relish the thought of having to face her in combat. That was for minions to undertake, most specifically his minion who awaited his pleasure in the very tunnels where his sister and her band of miscreants had fled to hide from the tau.

Benjamin's mood soured as he thought of the failure of the tau to eliminate her, the filthy xenos were incapable of getting even the most basic things right. If DeSade had not lured the Ultramarine fleet away it was doubtless the Tau force would have been decimated before they even made planetfall. No matter, the issue would only be cause for a slight delay on the schedule.

Bemjamin reached into a brocaded pocket under his opened jacket and took out a small com-bead device. He clicked it to establish a signal and issued his directives.

"Seena, I have new orders for you."

Although the link seemed clear there was no response. Bemjamin raised his eyebrows quizzically.

"Seena, are you listening? I have new order for you, reply."

Still nothing, there were two options, first, Seena was dead, unlikely given her skills for murder and stealth and her knack of surviving against the odds. Second, she had betrayed him.

The thought barely was worth contemplating, Seena was completely under Benjamin's control, she was his most trusted servant, and she was virtually his right hand.

She had not responded.

She had betrayed him

She must be found

She must be destroyed

She must be annihilated for her treachery.

Benjamin shrieked incoherently and threw the goblet across the room to smash against the panelled wall, ruining the priceless inlay with the sticky liquid.

"You will pay for your treachery you bitch, you owe me your life and now I shall take it." he screamed into the com bead hysterically.

Silence.

Benjamin Desade lurched out of the seat and stormed over to the cabin door to prepare a return to the planet's surface, he would unleash bloody wrath upon his sister, the tau, the locals and most especially against that selfish, rebellious minion of an assassin, Seena Dawnstar.

* * *

The pain was excruciating. Uthaniel clenched his teeth as the Cannoness cleaned his stomach wound in the pale light of an arbite glow lantern, he did not know whether the bullet that he had been shot with was poisoned somehow or whether the immediate infection was the result of the putrid gases that swirled around them. DeSade had removed the bullet, a small heavy lead slug, unremarkable in every way. His carapace armour had offered little resistance to it though, as if he had been wounded by fate, maybe it was yet another trial set by the Holy Emperor. Saint Belsarius had been wounded seven times in battle before leading his faithful to a heroic victory over the ork horde.

"I will be fine, vengeance rests for no faithful soldier." he snarled with vehemence. He pushed the Cannoness away gently and she stood back although concern was clear on her face. For a warrior woman of the Emperor Uthaniel thought she would be made of sterner stuff, he pitied her softness, holy war allowed no restraint and no forgiveness, only destruction of the enemies of mankind.

Vamis pulled himself upright to address the few dozen faithful that remained, Brother Arok, still clutching his shotgun, a pair of Adeptus Arbites who stood quietly like automatons, a single Sister of battle accompanying DeSade and a few handfuls of militia.

"My friends, faithful of the Emperor" he began. "We are nearing our destination and soon there shall be a reckoning between our righteous cause and the invading xenos who seek to subjugate us to their evil ways."

Vamis' head had begun to throb again, as it had before and during his vision.

"Soon we cease our descent into the depths of these tunnels and we will rise like the phoenix of old to climb through the honoured dead and then into the heart of our place of worship itself."

His vision began to swim and visions began to form.

"We will smite those who oppose us, death and damnation will reward those who turned against us and the streets will run with the blood of infidels."

He saw piles upon piles of mouldering corpses, blasted bodies reached for the sky looking for salvation, empty staring eyes of tau and men and gaping mouths chattering in their torment.

"We are become death the saviour, we are the reaper that comes to claim the spent lives of the enemies, to plunge them into the abyss from which there is no return, we are death and from our knives there is no escape...DEATH TO TAU AND TRAITORS!"

The survivors gave a ragged but hearty cheer. Vamis saw tears run down the cheeks of the faithful, DeSade stood, he features masked by the long shadows. Behind her, the shadows stirred. Uthaniel's eyes widened and he leapt forward, knocking the Cannoness aside as a monstrous hound leapt at her from the darkness. The snarling, twisted creature landed heavily amongst the survivors who stood shocked into inaction.

In a baying chorus of howls more of the beasts rushed toward them like apocalyptic messengers. Two or the milita were grabbed by the throat and tossed around to land torn and broken among the filth. Brother Arok delivered a point blank blast to the face of one of the monsters as it prepared to assault the Arch Deacon from behind and from the ground the Cannoness managed to save Arok in turn with a hurried blast from her boltgun that cleft a hound in two with its explosive force.

One of the arbites slammed his power maul into the back of a lunging beast, clobbering it to the ground where the militia nearby bludgeoned and stabbed it to death, bringing it down with a flurry of vicious but unskilled blows. As he did so his companion was knocked to the ground and savaged, his faceless helm muffling his own howls of pain as dagger like fangs tore through his belly armour and buried themselves in his gut, wrenching free his intestines.

Vamis staggered to his feet as the pain of his wound was forgotten and laid about him with Purity, a sweep clipped a hound behind its batwinged ear, shattering its deformed skull. Another hound shied away from the looping weapon and slunk back into the shadows.

And then it was quiet except for the heavy breathing of the survivors and the groans of the dying. Less than three minutes and their band of a few dozen was down to eighteen. Uthaniel had not seen all the deathblows fall but the results were painfully clear.

The adrenaline of battle subsided and the pain of his wound returned, it seeped blood, discoloured with pus and plasma and it stank of rot. Only divine grace would save Uthaniel now and only the most worthy martyrs were gifted with that. The quest must continue and vengeance must be wreaked soon, or Uthaniel would lay dead among the undeserving teeming millions whose faith in the Emperor had not matched their deeds.

* * *

Vamis was wounded and badly, Leanne could not understand how he could keep going. The attack by the mutant hounds had thinned their ranks but the Arch Deacon's zeal only served to inspire the faithful who followed the bobbing glow light carried by the remaining arbite through the darkness. Brother Arok caught up to Leanne where she marched in the line of pilgrims and pawed her sleeve for her attention. She raised her eyebrow at the assumed familiarity but in the darkness he would not have been able to see it.

"Cannoness, is the Arch Deacon hale?" he queried, his reedy voice quavering with uncertainty.

"He has been wounded Brother but his faith sustains him, he is an exemplary model of righteous and steadfast anger." replied Leanne in a stern matriarchal voice.

"Cannoness, no disrespect but I was a combat medic for twenty years and more in the Imperial guard and I ain't seen no mortal man that can twist and fight like that with his guts ready to fall out, faith or no, if the Arch Deacon don't stop moving soon his gonna be tripping over his intestines as he walks." the ratty little man was highly agitated and Leanne decided that she would need to heed his advice.

"Arch Deacon." she called through the gloom.

Vamis' silhouette turned in the gloom and waited for her to catch up.

When she reached him she looked at him straight in the eyes to speak.

She almost gasped in horror.

Vamis' eyes were bloodshot and filled with cataracts, his skin blotchy and grey, his hair had become brittle and his breath smelled of rotting flesh.

"Arch Deacon, you require assistance." Leanne managed.

The Arch Deacon smiled, exposing teeth that were covered in slimy film and gums that were clothed in weeping sores.

"Cannoness, my faith sustains me, fear not for my condition although I look fey to your eyes, it is merely the zeal that empowers me, driving me on to achieve our goal and obliterate the enemies of mankind. The conditions of the flesh matter little to those empowered by righteous indignation at the crimes of his enemies."

He smiled and gave a little chuckle and despite herself Leanne struggle not to vomit, she gagged it back and backed away.

"As you with Arch Deacon, if you require assistance I shall be waiting."

"Yes, yes you shall my child." Vamis said in a voice that was rough with phlegm.

* * *

The hounds returned to her lair and Seena saw they had not escaped unscathed. Several were missing, presumably they were dead although it mattered little in the greater scheme of things. It was disconcerting though that they had not apparently completed their task as he enhanced hearing could still detect the faint voices of the human refugees in the not so distant tunnels. She knew that she had the ability to kill every single one of the bothersome pests but wanted to attend to other matters. Still it looked like it was unavoidable.

Seena swirled a betaloned finger in the blood bowl as she considered her actions. She had again ignored Benjamin's squawking communication, he mattered little now that she had begun the final phases of her plan. The war between the xenos and Imperium would release energies of the dead and dying which her bowl would capture, enabling her to open the gates to the warp and provide a highway from the Inevitable City to this plane, this planet. It would be enveloped in screaming tides of daemons and for her gift Tzeentch would reward her with ascension. As a princess of daemons she would be immortal and would be able to take her revenge on the Eldar who had haunted her family since her grandmother had found the Vessel of Souls.

* * *

Sister Amiin was tired of waiting, they had been here in this bloody clearing for almost an entire day with no guidance from either the Cannoness, the Cardinal or that damned inquisitor. Amiin did not care if he was the Canonesses' brother, he was an idiot, a beauracrat and a liar, Amiin could feel it in her bones. Whatever they were supposed to be waiting for it sure wasn't on its way here and by the Emperor there was a war going on, at least there would be if Amiin found out that weasly little rat of an Inquisitor had prevented them from protecting the holy cathedral alongside the canoness, she would burn that miscreant to ashes if he had and his bloody inquisitorial authority be damned.

"Sisters, we return to the city and to our Cannoness; I fear we have been led on a fool's errand and I for one am not in a mood for idiocy, board the rhinos, we depart immediately." Amiin commanded, her husky voice edged with anticipation.


	5. Chapter 5

Benjamin stood on the flight deck of Dread Perceptor, in front of him were arrayed his finest minions, twenty carapace armoured Inquisitorial troopers, his three servitors including the mutilated Milissa and the feral world tracker Umajin clad in the blood stained leathers of his barbaric people but armed with the finest lasrifle Inquisitorial money could buy. The time for subtlety was ended and today Benjamin's glorious plan would bear fruit. He cleared his throat before speaking.

"Faithful servants of the Imperium, we stand at a crossroads. The Inquisition and its humble servants are the silent guardians of our civilisation, the path we walk if fraught with danger and terrible secrets. The planet below our feet is under the control of foul xenos and for that we must fight."

The troopers looked ahead, their concentration and discipline magnificent in the face of Benjamin's superior abilities of leadership or maybe because of them.

"We can expect heavy resistance during our mission, from both the xenos which we will suffer not to live, but also from the heretical apostates who have engineered this disaster through their negligence."

Benjamin took a deep breath and attempted to look grieved before he continued.

"My very flesh and blood, my sister, the Cannoness of the Cathedral and the Adeptus Soritis below is the head of this foul infection, she herself called the xenos to this planet after engineering the diversion that led the noble Ultramarines out of the system. Although I call her sister, although I loved her dearly, she is a traitor to the Imperium and for that...for that she will die."

Benjamin tried to squeeze a tear out but there was not enough empathy to do so, he carried on regardless.

"We can expect to fight the xenos and my sister's fanatics, they may protest their innocence but they have already been judged and found guilty, my loyal servants, we are the executioner's axe and on this day we strike a mighty blow for the Imperium of Man and the Emperor of Mankind."

The troopers stood bolt upright, the servitors slouched silently, Umagin chewed on a cud of some black tarry leaf and squinted through narrow eyes at the Inquisitor.

They were ready to drive home the knife.

Glory awaited.

"Board the Valkyrie." Ordered Benjamin.

* * *

Gek'hen and a squad of personally picked kroot warriors had re-entered the catacomb complex. This time they did not travel under the command of the Ethereal nor did the honoured one even know about the expedition. This mission was not for the Greater Good, it was revenge, hot and snarling. Four of the twelve warriors held leashes restraining eight kroot hounds which clacked and hissed through their crocodilian like beaks. The humans would be found and killed, their skins would be flayed for the shame they had brought to the kindred and to Gek'hen in the face of the Tau. Wordlessly the kindred crept through the dark, the dusty, filthy tunnels stretching on like rotten intestines. Gek'hen passed the place where the ambush had occurred. The dead were gone and the dirty floor showed massive movement signs, claws, boots, dragged corpses. The stink of drying blood mixed with the putrid miasma that drifted in the stagnant air. Gek'hen closed his eyes and listened, the kindred stopped and waited in silence. Something was behind them, this time the kroot would be the hunters and whatever fool fumbled in the dark behind them would be the prey.

The insufferable darkness was dispelled by the flood lamps attached to the duo of combat servitors leading the way dumbly. Their multi-melta limbs tracked back and forth as they stumbled forward like the animated corpses they resembled. Benjamin patted the cheek of Milissa as she stumbled forward beside him, the side of her face that remained recognisable closest to him. Her right arm had been replaced by a bionic limb and chainsaw attachment and her left flapped useless and limp. Her doll-like features were blank. Benjamin was happy with the results of her surgery, only a day ago she had represented one of the most useless of Imperial institutions and now she served the Inquisition in a righteous quest. If she could have spoken at all Benjamin was sure she would have thanked him for releasing her from the endless monotony of prayers and polishing he was sure she had endured as a novice.

The merry little band was certainly not stealthy noted Benjamin. Three servitors, twenty troopers and up ahead somewhere that stinking tracker Umajin, why did the best trackers always smell like they lived with the beasts they hunted? Benjamin chuckled to himself as he thought of how upset the barbarian would be at the noise the band was making, it did not matter to him though as long as he made sure his sister was dead and that traitorous assassin with her. Benjamin realised in a flash of brilliance that they were likely working together! That would explain everything. The two bitches had been conspiring against him from the beginning in some bewildering unexplainable plot to destabilise the Imperium or worse, a petty vendetta against him for his obvious genius.

They would pay for their actions, their thoughts and everything else they had done to belittle him, to drag him down to their crawling stinking level.

Gek'hen's keen eyes saw the skulking human approach through the darkness, flitting from one pile of rubble to the next. The prey was not dressed as a regular fighter but rather a hunter of some sort. Gek'hen silently approved of the hunter's actions. They had few faults but against the sharpened senses of the shaper they would prove to be of little use. The pack's kroot hounds shivered with anticipation in the darkness, hoping to be unleashed for the kill but Gek'hen could hear the crashing fools behind the tracker and could not risk alerting them. He untied a long throwing blade from his belt, a favourite that had claimed many scalps, and flicked it spinning through the darkness towards the blind hunter, silent as death's sigh it took him in the throat, cutting his attempted warning to a choked gurgle. The human collapsed into a dead heap, a warrior bounded from his cover to drag the hunter away and again the kindred waited in the darkness for the trap was almost sprung.

"Warning, sensors detect life forms in twenty three metres, warning, sensors detect task force member Umajin has expired."

Milissa's dead throat voice rasped out loudly, alerting Benjamin and his squad to the ambush ahead, they instantly crouched as the kroot realised their misdirection had failed and leapt to the attack. Twenty hell guns blazed into the darkness, illuminating the dashing, springing shapes. The kroot hounds crashed into the combat servitors, ripping off their limbs with snapping jaws, the melta blasts vaporising the flesh of soldiers and kroot as they sought cover from the wildly spraying fire.

Benjamin stumbled backwards and blasted wildly at the melee with his laspistol, the zipping bolts burnt neat holes in the kroot hounds but did little to stop the frenzied beasts from tearing bloody chunks from the panicking troopers.

"Protect me!" Shrieked Benjamin. "Combat engage."

Milissa's dead flesh was pumped full of virulent chemicals which ravaged her remaining organs and filled her with noxious power. The combat computer wired into her brain filled with logarithms and calculated lines of fire and movement.

"Combat systems running, engaging enemy." Her voice droned

The former initiate sprung into action, her chainsaw limb looping and her legs pistoning with the strength and agility of the Adeptus Astartes. Kroot slashed at her with their gun blades but she parried them with impossible speed and retorted by carving through limbs and torsos. Milissa's eyes remained blank as she chopped around her, every blow precise and deadly. Benjamin regained his composure and began to aim his shots, finishing off the last of the kroot hounds as the warriors retreated before Milissa's monstrous onslaught.

Only seven troopers remained of the twenty brought down and one of the other servitors had been rendered inoperable. The remaining one lashed around still with steel shoots boots, both its arms had been torn away.

Benjamin cackled with delight at the carnage being wrought, these maggoty xenos fell light chafe on the wind before his creation, what foresight he had shown to transform her from whickering servant to mighty protector of the Imperium.

He stumbled forward and looked down at the long barbed blade that poked through his chest, he was about to issue a proper challenge to whatever miscreant had dared strike him, from behind no less, but he found his mouth unable to draw breath to do so.

Benjamin turned slowly, gulping for air incredulously at this admittedly remarkable turn of events, he pointed his laspistol at the snarling, ready to pounce form of the kroot leader and then he sank to his knees and knew no more.

"Protocol, protect Inquisitor, engaged." Droned Milissa as her senses registered Benjamin's life signs deteriorating.

"Executing emergency teleportation." She continued.

Ignoring the impact of slugs in her blasted back Milissa advanced toward the crumpled inquisitor, her chain arm extended menacingly towards the Shaper. The thing clacked its jaws at the uncaring servitor and backed away. Milissa reached down with her left arm and dragged the inquisitor into an embrace, rough and protective. He made no noise so close to expiring was he now.

"Teleporting."

The pair disappeared in a flash of light and electric ozone, leaving the remaining troopers to their fates.

* * *

Vision returned to Gek'hen as the after image of the teleport faded away.

That treacherous human had escaped but may yet expire from his wounds. The rest of the humans had been offered no mercy; it violated the decree of the Ethereal but no matter. Honour was at stake and more important than the need for mercy. Gek'hen wished he had removed his scalping blade from the human but he had others. Right now they had best continue looking for the priest and his band of followers before they threw yet more bones into the fire pit and ruined the plans of the tau.

* * *

Uthaniel's breath was ragged and gasping but he barely noticed. He felt the fury of the Emperor flowing through him, filling him with vitality. He could feel he was drawing closer to the enemy, the source of the hell that had descended on Lepidus III and he knew it was not the Tau.

Behind him, Canoness' DeSade stalked warily, her bolter swinging left and right as she scanned the darkness ahead. Following her were the scant remainder of the faithful that had descended into these catacombs, the others would lay here forever, their deaths those of martyrs.

Uthaniel's hands were clammy and throbbing, his fingers burnt like fever and his guts ached with barely restrained eagerness to destroy the enemy. He knew in his soul that this was an enemy worth fighting, an enemy that had been at odds with the holy Imperium since its founding, since the beginning of time.

How was that even possible? It mattered not, nothing mattered except the War.

Benjamin stopped. His thoughts were tumultuous, they were confused and ragged. He heard ragged breathing and his eyes grew wide as he realised that the gasping, wheezing sound was himself.

"Archdeacon, do you require assistance?" came the Canoness' cautious query.

Uthaniel studied himself, what was happening to him? His hands, swollen and his palms blistered, the cuts and scrapes of combat oozed thin streams of stinking pus, his gut sagged heavily inside his armour.

He smelt something foul and realised it was his own breath, like rot and death, corpses baking in the fetid swamps of the lowlands.

What was happening to him?

A chuckle rose in the back of his mind; guttural and foul, ancient and cursed, it filled his mind with sick foreboding.

_You are mine Uthaniel Vamis...You belong to me now. _Thick, full of the same rot on Uthaniel's breath

"No" whispered Vamis out loud. The Canoness took a step back and tighted her grip on her bolter. Next to her, brother Arok narrowed his eyes at the Archdeacon.

"Your Grace? Is something amiss?" his gravelly voice whispered.

Vamis looked at the pair of them in horror, his mouth agape as he realised what was happening. As he realised something was already corrupting him.

* * *

A husky, throaty laugh mockingly echoed in the shadows.

"Oh, my poor misguided prey, look how you meander around in these darkened halls, look how you wander." The voice sneered

Leanne raised her bolter high and scanned the darkness.

"By the Emperor, show yourself and be dealt with." She demanded.

The unseen mocker laughed again, quieter this time, more predatory.

"tsk, tsk, dear hand maiden. Do you think that your corpse god can protect you against the power I wield? You need not answer for your words are irrelevant to one who knows all the truths in the universe."

Leanne snarled under her breath, she cast a look at Vamis where he crouched on the ground in the muck. His breathing thick and burbling. He was not going to be able to fight, she had to get him to safety and find a way to save him.

"What has befallen your brave preacher dear sister?" mocked the voice, closer now but still unseen. "Have his wounds overcome him? Does he kneel at deaths door and await his punishment for a lifetime of blasphemy against the true gods?"

The few remaining refugees with Leanne were huddled back to back, staring anxiously into the whispering shadows. The constant pressure, darkness and horrors had worn though their nerves and only brother Arok seemed to be ready for combat.

The mocking laugh echoed one more then died away, replaced by the low growls of the returning hounds. Arok snapped his last flare from his belt and its red light chased away the gloom, bathing them all crimson. Surrounding the final few survivors, Leanne and Vamis, stood the hunched, often wounded hounds that had assailed them before. As Leanne's eyes adjusted to the darkness she thought she saw a figure, lithe and supple, slip further back into the shadows, clad in gleaming black.

"Emperor take your hide bitch!" swore Leanne as she clicked off the safety of her bolter and blazed away at the hounds of chaos.

The hounds were taken by surprise, their hidden mistress had given them no orders to attack and two were blown apart before the others had sense to scatter.

Brother Arok was the next to fire, his shotgun roared defiantly as its shells staved in the head of a leaping beast. Its corpse crashed into his legs and sent him tumbling to the ground but he never lost his head as he shot again and again at the circling hounds.

The other refugees found their nerve and began firing wildly at the yelping chaos hounds as they also leapt to the attack but the fear was gone and beast by beast they were brought down by the relentless salvos of bullets. Lit by the flickering blood red flare the hounds crashed into the dirt, ragged holes blasted in their mutated, greasy hides. The last light of the flare faded away and darkness descended upon the gun smoke filled, fetid aired tunnel.

A low chuckle drifted out from the murk, it was patronising, hateful, a promise of painful excruciation delivered with malice and evil satisfaction.

"Show yourself fiend!" shouted Brother Arok, his thin voice sounding hopelessly childlike.

Leanne risked a glance at Vamis who lay in the gore splatted filth of the ground, wracked by sobs and gurgling coughs.

"Cardinal Vamis" She emphasised his position now that his predecessor was gone "your flock needs your strength now, you can overcome this evil."

Vamis remained on the ground, lost in pain and indescribable torment.

"Your priest is dying church wench...soon you and the last of your misguided flock will join him and this planet will fall to me" Mocked the sibilant voice from the shadowy corners.

Barrels tracked the darkness but the group could see nothing at all.

A young woman slumped over silently, dead before she hit the ground, a tiny needle protruding from her neck.

Next to her the oldest refugee stood open mouthed as his head was removed from his body, a glimmering razor line disappearing back towards the roof, blood fountained with puffing enthusiasm from the gory stump.

And then Arok's skull, neck and torso parted down the middle, taking only an instant but to Leanne it seemed like an eternity. His innards spilt, his blood sprayed outwards, finally revealing the figure of the assassin in crimson silhouette.

"Oops. That was messier than I expected" teased the woman as the blood dripped clear and she was invisible again.

Leanne and the two remaining refugees were paralyzed with shock. One, an old worker named Gwendolina was impaled on the end of a thin blade, lifted from her feet and then halved by a flick of the owners wrist.

The last refugee went berserk and pulled the pin on a grenade he had been carrying the whole time. His hand dropped to the floor and the explosive rolled free. Leanne's years of training caused her to leap aside without thinking as he was demolished by his own explosion. On the ground Vamis was covered in the guts of the last to die and his sobbing had stopped.

Leanne climbed to her feet, waiting for the final mocking blow from the shadows that would end her life. She held her chainsword before her and spun up the rotating teeth, a final act of defiance. She would die fighting.

A mocking laugh, seemingly far away, then another next to Leanne's ear.

"Oh dear slave of a corpse god, you cannot hope to fight me. Fate itself is on my side. I will rule this world in my god's name and those few who I allow to survive will worship me and my magnificence."

Leanne span and swung the chainsword viciously, it hit nothing but air.

"Oh dear slave of a corpse god, I would not even need to know what you blindly strike at to avoid your mindless blows, you are a decrepit remnant of a dead empire and a false religion. Surrender to me and I may allow you to live as my slave."

Furious at the mockery, Leanne swung again in the darkness, then again, her blows wasted, her anger impotent and ineffectual.

"I will never stop serving the true Emperor of Mankind you harpy, you spawn of corruption." Leanne spat, her faith reasserting itself as her rage grew.

"No? Well then...I guess it's time for you to die."

Leanne felt to needle like blade pierce her from behind, sliding through her armour effortlessly, edging past her shoulder blade, poking out her chest cheekily then withdrawing with a whisper of victory.

"You are dead." hissed the assassin.

Inside Uthaniel's broken, tormented body a voice urged him to stand. Patient, loving and joyous yet insistent. There was work to be done, the pain was only there to be overcome, the lethargy of death could be ignored.

_STAND CHILD_

Vamis felt his body obeying, his grief at his corruption faded, his determination returned. The enemies that had struck at his flock, his children, would die screaming. Vamis stood and turned.

In the darkness he saw clearly. Leanne, on her knees behind her a minion of the eternal enemy. A child of the Changer. A foe of the Emperor, truly this opponent was doubly cursed.

Uthaniel hissed a warning. "Your mockery of my world ends here minion."

The assassin turned, shocked out of her gloating.

"You still live? You look like you can barely stand preacher. Be a good dog and accept your fate."

"I feel...perfect." smiled Vamis, bringing purity to the ready, in the gloom it glowed a dull sickly green.

"You cannot strike what you cannot see. No glorious ending for you priest." said the woman as she stepped backwards into the darkness.

Vamis' eyes followed her unerringly as she sought to sneak behind him but he did not betray this by moving. He saw her tense and spring toward him from behind his shoulder even though his eyes were blind with cataracts. He watched the deadly blade as it stabbed down towards his filthy gore covered back.

He watched her land in a crumpled heap as a casual backhanded blow sent her spinning to the ground.

"You are nothing before the might of a man blessed as I am." smiled the Arch Deacon, a patronising kindness filling him with warmth.

On the ground Leanne watched the combat by the sick light of the Arch Deacon's unholy mace. It was a nightmare; this blessed servant of the Imperium brought low by contagion and returned to unholy vigour by the nameless corruption of dark gods.

Seena rolled onto her feet as the empowered human advanced towards her, his weapon held high to crush her on the ground. She aimed her neural shredder at his face. Fired and snarled in victory as he was hit by the crackling bolt of energy. He rocked back his brain surely fried but then he simply advanced again, unstoppable as a juggernaut, implacable.

Vamis laughed throatily as he launched a lazy looping swing with his mace, eldritch green fires now burning along its head and shaft. It was not meant to strike but to show his simple superiority, a fly swat gesture to announce his disdain for this weak opponent.

"This world is not yours changeling." Vamis bellowed, his stinking breath saturating the room and making Leanne gag on its foulness.

Seena rolled backwards, well out of reach of the hideous mace and the apparition wielding it and knew she had to flee. This foe was beyond her.

Gracefully she somersaulted backwards, then turned and sprung away, her lithe strong legs carrying her swiftly into the gloom. Her face burned in anger and shame as she was followed by the mocking laughter of an enemy quite beyond her prodigious capabilities to conquer.

Uthaniel watched the pathetic wretch of an assassin slip into the shadows. He turned to look at Leanne where she crouched in the filth.

"Fear not my child, the Emperor has empowered me with his majesty and so we are safe to do His work." he soothed.

"Dear Uthaniel, Arch Deacon, can you not see that you are yourself corrupted? That you are as much a tool of chaos as she was? That you have succumbed to temptation in our darkest hour?" said Leanne, the pain of her wounds making her voice thin and tight.

Uthaniel considered her words and looked at himself.

Once muscular, firm flesh was sagging and already buboes started to form on his arms, hands and face. The putridity of his breath was glorious!

Glorious?

What notion of damnation was that, that putrid stench, bodily corruption over purity could be glorious?

Uthaniel realised the truth.

He was damned, by the Emperor.

And Damnation was good.


	6. Chapter 6

"Inquisitor?"

Benjamin opened his eyes to a blissful feeling of peace and calm.

"Am I with the Emperor?" he mumbled deliriously.

"Lord Inquisitor it is not yet your time for that. You are in the infirmary."

The word moved like sludge through Benjamin's consciousness, slowly worming its way into actual understanding. Fighting, pain, surprise, death, hadn't he died?

"You are stable mi'lord but the wound you sustained nearly killed you. You must rest now."

DeSade's eyes came into focus on a nameless medical officer, who the cretin was he could not say.

"It is my honest appraisal that you should not have logically survived the wound at all Mi'lord, your servitor certainly saved your life." babbled the idiotic servant.

Benjamin scowled inwardly at having to tolerate such pitiful gushing sentiment. He would have to have this fool punished once he was able, not until he got out of this damn medi-crib though.

He looked around the room. Standing impassively in the corner was the servitor Milissa, next to his bed was this sycophantic twit of a medico and in the hatch doorway was an communications officer who looked vaguely familiar.

"Mi'lord, the bridge is asking for orders, should we move the ship further away from the planet?" he asked with obvious nervousness.

For the second time in minutes Benjamin realised he was surrounded by fools and miscreants.

"Why in the name of the Holy Emperor would we want to do such a thing?" Benjamin tried to shout but his voice came out weak and tired, how embarrassing.

"Mi'lord, if we remain in our current position it will not be long before both the Tau fleet and the approaching Ultramarine cruisers will spot us with short range scanners, our cloaking shields cannot hide our presence at such a short distance."

Benjamin opened his mouth to deliver a verbal tirade and then stopped. His revenge could still be achieved and the arrival of the Ultramarines had made it possible. They could simply teleport onto the planet's surface and like the apes they were simply eradicate everything in their path! Genius!

"Get me a vox link to that closest astartes ship." he snapped, his voice already sounding stronger.

* * *

Weets was hunched over a control panel explaining the buttons and knobs to a trio of earth caste tau who were analyzing the imperial technology.

His vision was lost in a paralysing flare of light, in his gut Weets knew what it was, he dropped to the floor immediately, it saved his life.

Captain Reynard's terminator squad opened up with their assault cannon and storm bolters. The tau technicians were near vaporised by the close range explosive bolts and the communications panels exploded in sparks, painted with tau blood.

The communications room door burst open as the pair of fire warriors guarding leapt though with their pulse rifles ready but they too were cut down by a fusillade of stormbolter fire.

Captain Reynard looked down at the prone Weets, scowling in disdain.

"You are a traitor the Imperium of man, the price of consorting with xenos scum is death. Do you understand these charges?"

Weets did not expect even a word from the marines before he would be exterminated and the question took away his tongue. He nodded dumbly, unsure what he could do to save his own life.

Reynard pivoted to aim his stormbolter at the traitorous soldier but paused as he heard the whine of jump jets close by, a shimmer of light alerted him to their predicament.

"Ultramarines, defensive positions!"

The stealth suits opened fire with burst cannons through the communication tower windows. Glass shattered as the terminators were peppered with thousands of shards and pulse fire. The marines fired back but the stealth suits were already jumping away, to land higher on the tower as a tau piranha swept into view from the west, accompanied by half a dozen shield and marker drones.

Reynard fired calmly at the piranha but his storm bolter shells stopped mid air as the shield drones moved to intercept. The other terminators added their fire to the storm of bolts and first one, then a second shield drone overloaded and fell away to the distant ground. Only one remained.

Reynard noticed the tiny red dot painted on Brother Agremon's chest as his assault cannon roared and spat. A faint, distant flash of light blinked from a far away tower and then Agremon's chest caved in and his back blew out as an ultra sonic magnetic shell blazed through the room like a comet and continued through the opposite wall.

Agremon fell like a broken oak, his cannon spluttering into silence.

Reynard would have knelt to find cover but the massive terminator plate offered no such movement. A dot appeared on the chest of Sergeant Greves, the blink of light and then he lost his head and shoulders in a misty cloud of his vitals.

"Teleport retrival, now!" ordered Reynard as Brother Hadris was blown asunder as well.

The remaining marines were surrounded by a nimbus of light, crackling of ozone and then they disappeared from the room, the mocking laughter of the piranha pilot ringing in their ears as the distant broadside teams continued to track for markerlit targets.

Crouched under a ruined control panel in the disintergrating tower, Weets soiled himself as he prayed to anything that would listen to save his miserable hide.

It was minutes later that he heard the tramp of armoured feet accompanied by the more gentle click, click of comfortable moccasins. He looked towards the bullet gouged doors as the Ethereal entered flanked by four fire warriors. He surveyed the room calmly, Weets thought he could see a tiny smile creasing the edge of his mouth.

"Ah, Mr. Weets, you have survived the little encounter with the Imperials, this is a good thing, a good thing indeed."

Weets looked at Aun Shi Que suspiciously.

"You speak as though you expected this to happen, did you know they would attack here?" he asked, turning green as he imagined the answer.

"We have been analysing Imperial battle techniques for some time now, we understand that the astartes specialize in warfare that "removes the head", to borrow a metaphor. As a result we believed it would be highly likely they would attempt a strike on the communications tower. What we were unsure of was whether they would do so by their drop pods or by the teleport attack we just witnessed."

"You knew I could die, I was used like bait." Weets said, mostly to himself.

"We understand your consternation at this turn of events Mr. Weets, however; you must admit that you have not been the model of loyalty to the Greater Good as yet, we hope that this will be the final test you are required to endure of course. At this current time in any case. The Imperials now know that they cannot expect to take this planet easily or simply, brute force will not work against the Tau Empire, we are simply beyond such warfare."

Weets opened and closed his mouth as he struggled to find words fit to describe his emotional response. He failed and simply remained on the floor as the Tau Ethereal and his guards swept out of the room past half a dozen earth caste waiting in the corridor to begin replacing the remaining Imperial communications equipment with their own.

* * *

Captain Reynard blinked the teleport haze away from his eyes as chapter helots moved to assist him. The tau defense had been entirely unexpected and his best men had paid the price for his lack of foresight. Reynard cursed inwardly, his desire for righteous vengeance had walked him into what must have been a prior arranged trap. No force, not even the astartes, could respond so quickly to an attack.

He calmed himself to think as his terminator armour plates were removed and medi-helots checked his body for wounds. They would find none, only the stain to his honour which they could not see.

Reyanard needed a plan to redeem himself in the eyes of his brothers and The Emperor. Throne knew it had to be a good one.

* * *

Sister Amiin and her squad slowed as they drew closer to the edge of the city. The gates they had left freely were now held by fire warriors along with some kind of hover tank. Amiin knew the Emperor would protect them but the weapon on the tank turret looked like it would make short work of the rhino if it drove into range. Amiin had no doubt the tau had seen the cloud of dust kicked up by their transport so their chances of a surprise assault were low. She had tried to reach the canoness but there was still no luck in that department. Whatever had happened, it did not bode well for Lepidus III.

"Sisters, our path us unclear, we shall pray for guidance and hope that the Emperor hears our call."

The sisters knelt and bowed their heads and began a prayer to the Emperor.

* * *

"Have you reached them yet?" snapped Benjamin as the communications officer reappeared at the door.

"Yes, mi'lord, we have. I have brought a vox transmitter so you can speak with the Ultramarine Captain."

DeSade held out his hand impatiently, the communications officer passed him a com bead and then began to fiddle with the signal controls on a lumpy transmitter. What sort of imbeciles did Benjamin have to tolerate? An inquisitor using field grunt technology to speak with the astartes themselves, oh the ignominy of the situation was almost unbearable.

"This is Lord Inquisitor Benjamin DeSade requesting the assistance of all loyal Imperial forces, do you hear me?" barked Benjamin over the com bead with as much authority as his condition allowed.

"This is Captain Reynard of the Ultramarines Lord Inquisitor, speak your request." Came the gravelly reply.

Benjamin was shocked at first, the grotesque warrior had not immediately acquiesced to Benjamin's totally reasonable order, he supposed it was all the hormones and chemicals their bodies were saturated with, while excellent fighters they were without a doubt almost as uncouth as ogryns.

"Captain Reynard, the planet which we are now circling has become occupied by foul xenos as you are no doubt aware. What you may not know is that they were willingly invited by a traitor to the Imperium, an apostate preacher and a rogue canoness of the sisters soritas."

"A rogue canoness?" the disbelief was tangible over the vox link. "Are you sure Inquisitor as an attack on the soritas would provoke retaliation from the ministorum if they were not satisfied of heresy."

"I am sure Captain, I know because it is my very own sister who has led this treachery, I curse the day she was born for her turning from the light of the Emperor, and may I remind you, it is Lord Inquisitor." Benjamin chided.

A pregnant pause ensured, Benjamin was not sure if the link had been broken.

"Is this thing still on?" he snarled at the Communications officer.

"It is...Lord Inquisitor." Came Reynard's reply, I was simply conferring with my command squad. We thirst for vengeance and if a traitor to the Imperium your sister is, then she will die this day for her treachery, as will the apostate preacher and their tau allies."

Benjamin felt a flush of excitement as his plans for vengeance were rekindled.

"Excellent, this is the information I have that will enable you to destroy this heinous threat to the Imperium of man."


End file.
